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

Urban, low-lying and poor drainage areas as well as the mountainous parts of West Virginia will be most prone to flooding. — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Minor coastal flooding is possible in low-lying areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with the highest risk on south-facing beaches, in the evenings, starting Monday through Wednesday, the weather service said. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026

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

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