stormwater
noun
storm·wa·ter
ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər 
-ˌwä-
: rainwater produced by a storm
a stormwater management system
As stormwater runs over lawns, streets and other man-made surfaces, it picks up pollutants—phosphorous and nitrogen from fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and road salt, to name a few—and carries them into local streams and lakes.—
Delen Goldberg
Delen GoldbergThis rainfall "of biblical proportions," as the local newspaper described it, swamped the city in waist-high stormwater.—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block
Christopher Cooper and Robert BlockExamples of stormwater in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The project aims to remove asphalt, build green spaces and capture more stormwater, all while reducing urban heat and creating safer paths for pedestrians and cyclists.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
In the 1960s, the river was lined with concrete in order to get stormwater out of neighborhoods and to the lake as fast as possible to avoid flooding.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 4 Dec. 2024
The original 150-year-old sewer system was severely overwhelmed, having been designed to serve a maximum of four million people but required to handle over double that, resulting in human waste and stormwater runoff being regularly dumped in the Thames, a major river in the area.
—Adam Williams, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2025
Living fences reduce soil erosion and stormwater runoff, while softening your house more than wood or steel fences.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stormwater
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.
Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
In the 1960s, the river was lined with concrete in order to get stormwater out of neighborhoods and to the lake as fast as possible to avoid flooding.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 4 Dec. 2024
The original 150-year-old sewer system was severely overwhelmed, having been designed to serve a maximum of four million people but required to handle over double that, resulting in human waste and stormwater runoff being regularly dumped in the Thames, a major river in the area.
—Adam Williams, New Atlas, 21 Feb. 2025
Living fences reduce soil erosion and stormwater runoff, while softening your house more than wood or steel fences.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stormwater
Cite this Entry
“Stormwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stormwater. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share