white water

noun

variants or whitewater

ˈ(h)wīt-ˌwȯ-tər 

-ˌwä-

: turbulent, frothy water (as in breakers, rapids, or falls)

… it's New England's toughest stretch of … white water, a maze of boulders and narrow channels.

—Michael D. Burke

… he chased whitewater in some of North America's most remote corners …

—Mark Bechtel

When seized by white water, the idea is to swim for the bottom (if you can tell which way that is), pray to stay relaxed and conserve your air …

—Kenny Moore

white water rafting

a whitewater outfitter

white-water paddlers

Examples of white water in a Sentence

The canoe got caught in white water.

Recent Examples on the Web

The resort's prime location in the Great Smoky Mountains puts countless outdoor adventures within easy reach, from hiking to white water rafting and fly fishing. —Regan Stephens, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2025

Float through the geological wonder on the Colorado River with an adrenaline-pumping white water adventure or take in the breathtaking views slowly on a smooth water rafting trip. —Olivia Rose, AZCentral.com, 18 Aug. 2025

Police also said Monday that Abosede was carrying a white water bottle and left her cell phone, credit cards and other personal items behind. —Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2025

Offering accommodations—such as flex hours, noise-cancelling headphones or work-from-home options—without matching individuals to jobs that align with their core behavioral traits and cognitive strengths is like giving someone a life vest and then pushing them into white water rapids. —Miriam Groom, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for white water

• annunciator
• imprimatur
• underwater
• backwater
• bathwater
• blackwater
• breakwater
• deepwater
• edgewater
• feedwater
• floodwater
• freshwater

Kids Definition

white water

noun

: rough foamy water (as in rapids or waterfalls)