low water

American  

noun

1. water at its lowest level, as in a river.

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low water British  

noun

1. another name for low tide

2. the state of any stretch of water at its lowest level

3. a situation of difficulty or point of least success, excellence, etc

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Other Word Forms

• low-water
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of low water

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

The six-foot deep pothole had been filling with water for years, even causing low water pressure in nearby houses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 29, 2025

Eastern Scotland and parts of Wales are also seeing low water levels.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

In the Amazon basin, record low water levels killed fish and put endangered dolphins more at risk as well as hitting drinking water supplies for hundreds of thousands of people.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

Stephen Mumme, a political science professor at Colorado State University who is an expert in the treaty, said low water levels have left Sheinbaum in a bind: “There’s only so much Mexico can do.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2025

A boat would just float there comfortably I supposed, at dead low water.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier