floodwater

noun

flood·​wa·​ter ˈfləd-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce floodwater (audio)
-ˌwä-
: the water of a flood

Examples of floodwater 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.
Five days after floodwaters unleashed by a glacier collapse buried communities under thick mud, rescuers in Nepal were still struggling to reach devastated areas as the full extent of the destruction came into focus. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026 Thapa said many of the bodies had remained submerged in floodwaters for about four days and were already decomposing by the time they were recovered. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 This week, Nepal saw more than 430 megawatts of power –– enough to power hundreds of thousands of homes –– knocked offline after 12 dams were hit by the surge of floodwaters. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 At least 100 homes were lost as floodwaters inundated neighborhoods, forced residents to flee, and damaged trees and power lines. — Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for floodwater

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of floodwater was in 1791

Rhymes for floodwater

See All Rhymes for floodwater

Browse Nearby Words

floodwall
floodwater
floodway
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Floodwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodwater. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

floodwater

noun
flood·​wa·​ter ˈfləd-ˌwȯt-ər How to pronounce floodwater (audio)
-ˌwät-
: the water of a flood
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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