floodplain
noun
flood·plain
ˈfləd-ˌplān 
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
Staff at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge, which spans the river floodplain from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Rock Island, Illinois, say a combination of habitat restoration projects and the banning of the pesticide DDT are allowing eagles to flourish.
—
Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
About 20 percent of the properties insured, typically those in risky floodplains, receive subsidized insurance, transferring the risk to the government and reducing incentives for homeowners to move to safer ground or to invest in retrofits to make their dwellings safer.
—Alice Hill, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
According to Native Plant Trust, false mermaid-weed is very rare in New England, surviving in primarily wet areas like floodplain forests and swamps.
—Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 30 May 2024
The water washed out bridges and damaged most businesses and industries on the floodplain.
—Craig E. Colten, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for floodplain 
Steven Martinez, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
About 20 percent of the properties insured, typically those in risky floodplains, receive subsidized insurance, transferring the risk to the government and reducing incentives for homeowners to move to safer ground or to invest in retrofits to make their dwellings safer.
—Alice Hill, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
According to Native Plant Trust, false mermaid-weed is very rare in New England, surviving in primarily wet areas like floodplain forests and swamps.
—Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 30 May 2024
The water washed out bridges and damaged most businesses and industries on the floodplain.
—Craig E. Colten, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for floodplain
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'floodplain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near floodplain
Cite this Entry
“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
floodplain
noun
flood·plain
-ˌplān
1
: low flat land along a stream or river that may flood
2
: a plain built up from earth left by floodwaters
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