rip current

noun

: a strong usually narrow surface current flowing outward from a shore that results from the return flow of waves and wind-driven water

Examples of rip current in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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People are also advised to stay out of the water due to powerful rip currents that could quickly pull people from the shore. Jose Fabian, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026 The winds make beach conditions sketchy Monday and Tuesday, with a high rip current risk announced for coastal Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties through Tuesday evening. Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 22 Dec. 2025 Hazards include sneaker waves, strong rip currents, and large breaking waves. Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 9 Dec. 2025 Nearly 2 miles away from the home, surfers alerted Lifeguard Tower 2 in Ocean Beach to a dog that had been swept into a rip current near the jetty. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rip current

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rip current was in 1936

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Cite this Entry

“Rip current.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rip%20current. Accessed 4 Jan. 2026.

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