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

Flood Risk In a 2016 survey of levees along a stretch of the Mississippi River, 40% of levees, located on both sides of the river, were higher than authorized. — Kris Maher, WSJ, "Mississippi River Neighbors Battle Over Levee Heights," 3 Jan. 2019 The first is near a river, where two young women in love are found slashed to death in either a murder or a suicide. — Cady Drell, Marie Claire, "Pointed Observations About Sharp Objects Episode 4," 30 July 2018 The verdant, misty forest is broken only by a few stubby, brown rivers draining into the ocean and a narrow ribbon of auburn shoreline. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist," 20 July 2018 Invoking Justice Kennedy’s muddled opinion, the Obama EPA claimed all land within a 100-year floodplain and 1,500 feet of the high-water mark or 4,000 feet of waters already under its jurisdiction—namely, rivers, tributaries and adjacent wetlands. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Trump’s Regulatory Dredging," 11 Dec. 2018 Set in a wilderness corridor between Bokor and Kirirom national parks, spectacular Shinta Mani Wild has 15 platform tents perched over a rushing river (the creation of uber–resort designer Bill Bensley). — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "The Best Places to Travel in 2019," 7 Dec. 2018 The previous sign was itself a replacement of the original, which was taken and thrown into the Tallahatchie River — the same river Till’s body was thrown into. — Jameelah Nasheed, Teen Vogue, "Someone Shot the Sign Marking the Spot Emmett Till's Body Was Found — Again," 6 Aug. 2018 Calhoun County is about 60 miles up the river from St. Louis, and more than 20 different varieties are grown there. — John Kass, chicagotribune.com, "Who knew peaches could be so political?," 12 July 2018 Television footage showed bridges and cars washed away by raging rivers and flood waters, with people perched on the roofs of their homes, surrounded by water and awaiting rescue. — Simon Denyer, BostonGlobe.com, "At least 85 dead, many missing as ‘historic’ rains pound Japan," 8 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.