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
As the rain grew worse, Joey checked online and found that their apartment complex was in a floodplain.
—
Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
As their name suggests, annual killifish appear for a brief period of the year in floodplains, wetlands, swamps and other temporary aquatic environments.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 23, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Rivers—or more specifically the floodplains and forests that flank rivers—are among the most important migratory corridors that allow jaguars to move through unsuitable land cover (such as agriculture) to reach core habitat areas.
—Jeff Opperman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The coastal floodplain offers premium real estate for nesting.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
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.
Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
As their name suggests, annual killifish appear for a brief period of the year in floodplains, wetlands, swamps and other temporary aquatic environments.
—Lauren Liebhaber
september 23, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Rivers—or more specifically the floodplains and forests that flank rivers—are among the most important migratory corridors that allow jaguars to move through unsuitable land cover (such as agriculture) to reach core habitat areas.
—Jeff Opperman, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The coastal floodplain offers premium real estate for nesting.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
Cite this Entry
“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share