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
Roughly 230 million years ago, a group of alligator-sized amphibians convened on a floodplain in what is now west-central Wyoming.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
Modeling shows that up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city largely built on a river floodplain, could experience some level of flooding.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Modeling shows that up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city largely built on a river floodplain, could experience some level of flooding.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Rather, it must be elevated to the current floodplain (and updated to current building code standards) or demolished and replaced.
—Jeff Weiner, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
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.
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025
Modeling shows that up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city largely built on a river floodplain, could experience some level of flooding.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Modeling shows that up to 20,000 homes in Brisbane, a city largely built on a river floodplain, could experience some level of flooding.
—arkansasonline.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Rather, it must be elevated to the current floodplain (and updated to current building code standards) or demolished and replaced.
—Jeff Weiner, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floodplain
Cite this Entry
“Floodplain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/floodplain. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share