floodplain

noun

flood·​plain ˈfləd-ˌplān How to pronounce floodplain (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Armed with permission to study the entire Luxor floodplain, the research team is now casting a wider net. Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 18 Oct. 2025 Roughly 8 percent of all the properties in the United States are inside a 100-year floodplain, according to Nadia Evangelou, a senior economist and director of real estate research for the National Association of Realtors. Rukmini Callimachi, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025 In July, the Benbrook Planning and Zoning Commission recommended rezoning a portion of the Mary’s Creek floodplain to allow Corey Waldrop, 37, of Fort Worth, to develop a 178-home community called Rowan Ranch near the intersection of West Loop 820 and Veterans Parkway. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2025 The floodplain has been redrawn wider than ever, outlawing home construction in new danger zones. Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for floodplain

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of floodplain was in 1873

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Cite this Entry

“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

floodplain

noun
flood·​plain -ˌplān How to pronounce floodplain (audio)
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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