open water
noun
plural open waters
: water that is clear of obstacles to passage or view : water that is open (see open entry 1 sense 7a)
The word marsh conjures up a mental picture of a soggy, flat area filled with cattails and other herbaceous vegetation, with ducks sitting on patches of open water.—
Robert H. Mohlenbrock
Robert H. Mohlenbrock
often, specifically
: water that is free of ice
When the river froze in the fall, a mile of open water had been left between two mighty jams. —Jack London
Jack London Polynyas were areas of persistent open water, found throughout the circumpolar arctic, places kept ice-free by currents and wind patterns. —David R. Masiel
David R. Masiel Because the penguins feed in the ocean, they typically set up colonies near open water and must establish new nests when the coastline becomes covered in … ice. —Science News
Science News Examples of open water in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Athletes participating in high diving and open water swimming will face each other at Sentosa (Palawan Green).
—Paras J. Haji, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Only accessible by boat or seaplane, the park is roughly 99 percent open water (really!), vibrantly blue, and filled with stunning coral reefs.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Circumstances are certainly different, and free agents typically command more money in open waters than in negotiations with one franchise.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
To satisfy federal and state requirements to offset the filling of the coal pier channel, the joint venture plans to excavate 19 acres of land along the Jones Creek side of Sparrows Point, converting it to open water and wetlands.
—Timothy B. Wheeler, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
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Paras J. Haji, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Only accessible by boat or seaplane, the park is roughly 99 percent open water (really!), vibrantly blue, and filled with stunning coral reefs.
—Kara Franker, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
Circumstances are certainly different, and free agents typically command more money in open waters than in negotiations with one franchise.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 23 May 2025
To satisfy federal and state requirements to offset the filling of the coal pier channel, the joint venture plans to excavate 19 acres of land along the Jones Creek side of Sparrows Point, converting it to open water and wetlands.
—Timothy B. Wheeler, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open water
Cite this Entry
“Open water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20water. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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