fresh water
Americannoun
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water that does not contain a large amount of salt.
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inland water, as ponds, lakes, or streams, that is not salt.
Etymology
Origin of fresh water
before 900; Middle English; Old English
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hundreds of seafarers are calling for help to get home as food and fresh water start to run low after more than a month in limbo.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, operating expenses were nearly three times higher than at other federal facilities, largely because all supplies -- including fresh water -- had to be transported to the island.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
According to Moore, nearby Angel Island has at least 16 coyotes that are thriving there because there's fresh water and bigger prey, such as deer, that they can hunt.
From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026
In a related study published last year, scientists analyzed more than two decades of satellite data and found that vast areas of the world are losing fresh water and getting drier.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026
In those challenging times, the animals couldn’t afford to lose any fresh water.
From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.