tap water

noun

: water as it comes from a tap (as in a home)

Examples of tap water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
When an advisory is declared, impacted residents should not drink or use the tap water for preparing food or brushing teeth without boiling it first, the public utility said. Nick Lentz, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026 Snowpack in the mountains provides tap water for millions downstream. Pete McBride, Time, 27 Feb. 2026 In the past, if someone wasn't drinking alcohol, they were often relegated to a red plastic cup filled with tap water, creating a visual separation from the group. William Jones, Ascend Agency, 27 Feb. 2026 That way, what was once your tap water becomes tap water again, instead of permanently becoming lost to the briny depths. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tap water

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tap water was in 1881

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tap water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tap%20water. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

tap water

noun
: water as it comes from a tap (as in a home)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster