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 contrasting landscapes here, including coral coastlines, vast floodplains, rocky escarpments, and the ochre sands of the outback, are astounding.
—
Drew Kluska, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2023
The site sits on Dorchester Bay, amid five major floodplains, and resiliency measures were critical to protect both the project and the Dorchester and South Boston neighborhoods, the development team said.
—Catherine Carlock, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Impact study requirements Documents obtained from the border commission by The News through an open records request show that DPS and other Texas entities were put on notice about federal permit and floodplain impact study requirements at least as far back as Dec. 21, and many times since then.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas News, 18 Aug. 2023
And even before the high water began taking its toll, the Upper Mississippi River floodplain had lost nearly half of its historical forest due to urban and agricultural land use and changes to the way the water flowed after locks and dams were installed in the 1930s.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2023
The hydrophones used in the dolphin study also allowed the team to track how the dolphins are distributed along the mosaic of the floodplains.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023
That means ramping up efforts to protect from flooding in the winter, but also being prepared to cut back during dry spells, Gleick said:
Second: rethinking our approach to building in floodplains — and retreating from some entirely.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
Only 6 of those acres can be developed because the other 3 are in a floodplain, according to the information.
—Al Gaspeny, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2023
The Portland City Council is weighing a proposal to tighten requirements for development in floodplains.
—Gwozniac, oregonlive, 1 Sep. 2023
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Drew Kluska, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2023
The site sits on Dorchester Bay, amid five major floodplains, and resiliency measures were critical to protect both the project and the Dorchester and South Boston neighborhoods, the development team said.
—Catherine Carlock, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Sep. 2023
Impact study requirements Documents obtained from the border commission by The News through an open records request show that DPS and other Texas entities were put on notice about federal permit and floodplain impact study requirements at least as far back as Dec. 21, and many times since then.
—Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas News, 18 Aug. 2023
And even before the high water began taking its toll, the Upper Mississippi River floodplain had lost nearly half of its historical forest due to urban and agricultural land use and changes to the way the water flowed after locks and dams were installed in the 1930s.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2023
The hydrophones used in the dolphin study also allowed the team to track how the dolphins are distributed along the mosaic of the floodplains.
—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 4 Aug. 2023
That means ramping up efforts to protect from flooding in the winter, but also being prepared to cut back during dry spells, Gleick said:
Second: rethinking our approach to building in floodplains — and retreating from some entirely.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2023
Only 6 of those acres can be developed because the other 3 are in a floodplain, according to the information.
—Al Gaspeny, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2023
The Portland City Council is weighing a proposal to tighten requirements for development in floodplains.
—Gwozniac, oregonlive, 1 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'floodplain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near floodplain
Cite this Entry
“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on floodplain
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about floodplain
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