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

Currents sweeping in from the Gulf of Oman carry nutrients and larvae that fuel plankton blooms and coral reefs, while deeper upwellings draw in reef fish and migratory whale sharks that pass through seasonally. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

According to Scripps, the warm water temperatures are not being driven by El Niño or warming at the equator, but by persistent high-pressure systems that reduce winds and upwelling, a movement that pulls colder nutrient-rich water to the surface. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

In the Keys, anglers head for the humps, where the bottom rises to within 300 feet of the surface, creating upwellings that attract bait and fish. —Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026

The study found that natural upwellings in the middle of the Atlantic provide both nitrogen and phosphorus for the blooms. —Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026

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