water right

noun

: a right to the use of water (as for irrigation)

especially : riparian right

Examples of water right in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One day before the deadline, states in the Upper Colorado River Basin reached consensus on how to manage water rights and dwindling resources moving forward, but the Lower Basin states rejected the plan as unfair. —Christa Swanson, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026

In a region where water is neither abundant nor easily replaced, reducing discretionary outdoor use is one of the most effective ways to ensure Aurora can support growth through full buildout as water rights become more costly and scarce. —Mike Coffman, Denver Post, 10 Feb. 2026

In many cases, these reductions impact 1880s water rights that predate the (Colorado River) Compact. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 31 Jan. 2026

Due to water rights legislation unique to the western U.S., a ski resort cannot easily use more water to make more snow without going through an extensive and often expensive legal process. —Michael Childers, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1793, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for water right

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite