white water

noun

variants or whitewater
: turbulent, frothy water (as in breakers, rapids, or falls)
… it's New England's toughest stretch of … white water, a maze of boulders and narrow channels.Michael D. Burke
… he chased whitewater in some of North America's most remote corners …Mark Bechtel
When seized by white water, the idea is to swim for the bottom (if you can tell which way that is), pray to stay relaxed and conserve your air …Kenny Moore
white water rafting
a whitewater outfitter
white-water paddlers

Examples of white water in a Sentence

The canoe got caught in white water.
Recent Examples on the Web Recreation Package - Includes white water rafting, aerial ropes courses, ice skating, and more. $600 worth of regional benefits like South Bend Cubs baseball tickets, chocolate factory tours, zoo passes, airline vouchers, and tickets to ride the train to Chicago. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 8 Mar. 2024 For thrill-seekers, there’s white water rafting, and when winter brings heavy snowfalls, the region’s eastern Kaçkar Mountains transform into a heli-skiing paradise. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 2 Jan. 2024 There’s a twilight canoe outing on Bow River for a quintessential Canadian moment, white water rafting that ends with a night in Anishinabe-style tepees, excursions on float planes, and even a day of wine tasting in the Okanagan valley. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2024 This formula comes in 15 different shades and is designed with lotus, gardenia, white water lily, and vitamin E to soften and hydrate the lips. Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 7 Dec. 2023 Located three hours from Uganda’s capital Entebbe, Jinja is the source of the Nile River and offers white water rafting and gorgeous sunset cruises. Mariette Williams, Essence, 17 Nov. 2023 Kingfisher Journeys invites adventurers to explore Rwanda’s uncharted white water rivers for the first time—there are 30 intermediate-grade rivers in the country for pioneering descents—led by expert rafting guides. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2023 Before his death, Sanders shared peeks into his teenage life off screen, including a white water rafting trip, a day at Coachella, skydiving and his fitness journey. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 29 Dec. 2022 Some of Baker’s favorite not-to-miss attractions include the hot air balloon rides over the park, the north-end swimming pool — this is free and open during summer — and white water rafting, which starts as early as April. Kelsey Fowler, Travel + Leisure, 7 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'white water.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of white water was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near white water

Cite this Entry

“White water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white%20water. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

white water

noun
: rough foamy water (as in rapids or waterfalls)

More from Merriam-Webster on white water

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