floodplain

noun

flood·​plain ˈfləd-ˌplān How to pronounce floodplain (audio)
1
: level land that may be submerged by floodwaters
2
: a plain built up by stream deposition

Examples of floodplain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This data can be used to inform government investments in risk reduction, such as ecological forest management and floodplain management, which will likely make insurance markets much healthier over time. Jordan Haedtler, Mercury News, 24 May 2025 The study found that if a major Cascadia earthquake struck today, floodplains could grow by as much as 300 square kilometers (about 116 square miles), more than doubling the number of homes, roads, and structures exposed to flooding. Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 The nearly 11-acre easement was designated in 2020 and includes wetlands, river banks and floodplains. Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 12 May 2025 The team found that if an earthquake that caused more than six feet of subsidence were to happen today, the 100-year floodplain in estuaries in Cascadia would expand by 115 square miles. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for floodplain

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of floodplain was in 1873

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Cite this Entry

“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

floodplain

noun
flood·​plain -ˌplān How to pronounce floodplain (audio)
1
: low flat land along a stream or river that may flood
2
: a plain built up from earth left by floodwaters

More from Merriam-Webster on floodplain

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