river

noun, often attributive

riv·er | \ ˈri-vər

Definition of river

1a : a natural stream of water of usually considerable volume

b : watercourse

2a : something resembling a river a river of lava

b rivers plural : large or overwhelming quantities drank rivers of coffee

up the river

: to or in prison was sent up the river

Examples of river in a Sentence

The raft is too small to use on this part of the river. Rivers of mud flowed down the hillside.

Recent Examples on the Web

Curvy Kili Crew member Diandra Oliver, 36, grew up on rivers and mountains and spent most of her life hiking and snowshoeing in northern British Columbia. — Kathleen Rellihan, Glamour, "Who Says Plus-Size Women Can't Climb Kilimanjaro?," 8 Mar. 2019 Experts now know that toxic chemicals from weed and insect killers can seep into the soil, drift in the air, and collect in streams and rivers — to the detriment of plants, animals, and people nearby. — Erin Quinn-kong, Woman's Day, "Are Your Fast-Fashion Clothes Killing Farmers?," 14 Feb. 2019 Foragers opted for forests and mountains full of game, or rivers and coasts teeming with fish. — Mark Barna, Discover Magazine, "When Farmers and Foragers First Met," 24 Oct. 2018 Its lazy river and wave pool are the perfect places to rest tired feet from waiting in line all day. — Marissa Miller, Teen Vogue, "13 Dream Vacations to Add to Your Bucket List," 24 Oct. 2018 Anglers should also target moving water and fish for catfish up the rivers and near the outlet as water is being released. — Tyler Mahoney Special To The Star, kansascity, "Fishing report: Catfish action picking up in Kansas, Missouri lakes," 11 July 2018 Waterlogged Mumbai was paralyzed for a third day, after flooding turned some streets into rivers and people waded through knee- to waist-deep waters. — Washington Post, "Mudslide kills 9 in India’s remote mountainous northeast," 11 July 2018 The rainy spring flushed the creeks and rivers and salinity levels are unusually low. — Tim Prudente, baltimoresun.com, "Explosion of false dark mussels revives hopes for clearer waters and concern for dogs in Anne Arundel County," 11 July 2018 The project includes a 1,600-room hotel, 275,000 square feet of event space, a parking garage and resort-style amenities such as a lazy river and wave pool. — Gustavo Solis, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Another developer interested in Chula Vista's bayfront," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'river.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.