open water

noun

plural open waters
: water that is clear of obstacles to passage or view : water that is open (see open entry 1 sense 7a)
The word marsh conjures up a mental picture of a soggy, flat area filled with cattails and other herbaceous vegetation, with ducks sitting on patches of open water.Robert H. Mohlenbrock
often, specifically : water that is free of ice
When the river froze in the fall, a mile of open water had been left between two mighty jams. Jack London
Polynyas were areas of persistent open water, found throughout the circumpolar arctic, places kept ice-free by currents and wind patterns. David R. Masiel
Because the penguins feed in the ocean, they typically set up colonies near open water and must establish new nests when the coastline becomes covered in … ice. Science News

Examples of open water in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Baitfish like shad and blueback herring begin to spawn by the thousands along shallow shoreline cover like docks and grass lines and on shallow rocky humps out in otherwise open water. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2024 The annual Art Shanty Projects festival on Lake Harriet in Minneapolis in January had to be cut short due to open water and unsafe ice. Steve Karnowski, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024 Before his vehicle sank into frigid open water, he was rescued by Carlson’s E.M.T. colleagues. Patricia Leigh Brown, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 And, if your pup is up for a swim, grab a paddleboard and float along the Catawba River, through shaded tributaries and open water. Liz Logan, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Don’t be surprised to find bluegill feeding in open water either, especially following an insect hatch. David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 28 Feb. 2024 What followed was an intense period of training, both in the pool, and in open water around the San Francisco Bay, to get ready for his cross-channel attempt. James Hudson, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Each year anglers in the upper Midwest are rescued from ice floes that get blown into open water by high winds. Drew Dawson, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 But Burke overrode the order and sent the ship back out into open waters. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'open water.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of open water was in 1625

Dictionary Entries Near open water

Cite this Entry

“Open water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20water. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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