upwelling

noun

up·​well·​ing ˌəp-ˈwe-liŋ 

: the process or an instance of rising or appearing to rise to the surface and flowing outward

especially : the process of upward movement to the ocean surface of deeper cold usually nutrient-rich waters especially along some shores due to the offshore movement of surface waters (as from the action of winds and the Coriolis force)

Examples of upwelling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The team also confirmed that deep mantle upwellings are closely tied to tectonic plate motion. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 June 2025

This is the fourth consecutive year a lethal algae bloom has occurred along the Southern California coast, fueled by an upwelling of nutrient-rich waters from the deep ocean. —Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025

The algae can flourish during upwellings, when winds blow from north to south along the coast, pushing water off shore and bringing nutrient-rich deep water up to the surface. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025

The algae can flourish during upwellings, when winds blow from north to south along the coast, pushing water offshore and bringing nutrient-rich deep water to the surface. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for upwelling

• bookselling
• compelling
• dispelling
• excelling
• expelling
• foretelling
• impelling
• indwelling
• labelling
• marvelling
• misspelling
• modelling

Kids Definition

upwelling

noun

up·​well·​ing ˌəp-ˈwel-iŋ 

: the process or an example of rising or appearing to rise to the surface and flowing outward

especially : the process of movement of deeper cooler layers of ocean water that are often rich in nourishing substances to the surface