low-lying

adjective

low-ly·​ing ˈlō-ˈlī-iŋ 

1

: rising relatively little above the base of measurement

low-lying hills

2

: lying below the normal level, surface, or the base of measurement or mean elevation

low-lying clouds

Synonyms of low-lying

• short
• little
• small
• low
• tiny

Examples of low-lying in a Sentence

the low-lying hills blocked our view of the sea only a little bit

Recent Examples on the Web

Eventually a ring of low-lying islands forms, built from the skeletons of the reef that surrounds it. — NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

The low-lying parts of the western Netherlands that are reclaimed land suffer increasingly from salinity in droughts, posing problems for farmers who grow fruit and vegetables in the fertile soil. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026

In addition, water will continue to pool into low-lying flood prone locations well after the heavy rain ends. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026

But the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 shifted federal spending priorities toward national defense and power-generating dams, delaying flood-control measures such as levees designed to protect low-lying communities like Argentine. — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for low-lying

• buying
• crying
• drying
• dyeing
• dying
• flying
• frying
• lying
• plying
• prying
• shying
• sighing

Kids Definition

low-lying

adjective

low-ly·​ing

ˈlō-ˈlī-iŋ

: having little upward extension or elevation

low-lying clouds