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
Grimes has already clinched a spot in open water, which will be held in the Seine River.
—Paul Newberry, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2024
While there’s plenty of open water for boaters, portions of the west end are buoyed off as a no-wake zone.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
Another worry is that lack of ice cover leaves the lakes more prone to lake-effect snow, which requires warm open water and a cold, dry air mass.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
There is a difference between trying to spot whales from abroad a massive cruise ship and being out on the open water searching for them in a smaller vessel.
—Catherine Garcia, theweek, 25 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for open water 
Paul Newberry, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2024
While there’s plenty of open water for boaters, portions of the west end are buoyed off as a no-wake zone.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
Another worry is that lack of ice cover leaves the lakes more prone to lake-effect snow, which requires warm open water and a cold, dry air mass.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 11 June 2024
There is a difference between trying to spot whales from abroad a massive cruise ship and being out on the open water searching for them in a smaller vessel.
—Catherine Garcia, theweek, 25 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for open water
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'open water.' 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 open water
Cite this Entry
“Open water.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20water. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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