floodplain
noun
flood·plain
ˈfləd-ˌplān 
1
: level land that may be submerged by floodwaters
2
: a plain built up by stream deposition
Examples of floodplain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The dinosaur roamed across what is now Montana and Wyoming, and across the western United States, which most likely looked like the Louisiana floodplain all those millions of years ago.
—
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 May 2026
The floodplains here are generally more limited.
—Geoff Emberling, The Conversation, 19 May 2026
Our clear, 30-foot-wide river had risen to a raging torrent that filled the floodplain from side to side.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Between its streams, lakes, wetlands and floodplains, roughly a fifth of Lake County is covered by surface water, a proportion that likely increased slightly over the last month after multiple heavy rain events.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
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Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 May 2026
The floodplains here are generally more limited.
—Geoff Emberling, The Conversation, 19 May 2026
Our clear, 30-foot-wide river had risen to a raging torrent that filled the floodplain from side to side.
—Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2026
Between its streams, lakes, wetlands and floodplains, roughly a fifth of Lake County is covered by surface water, a proportion that likely increased slightly over the last month after multiple heavy rain events.
—Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
Cite this Entry
“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
floodplain
noun
flood·plain
-ˌplān
1
: low flat land along a stream or river that may flood
2
: a plain built up from earth left by floodwaters
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