rafting

American  

[raf-ting, rahf-] / ˈræf tɪŋ, ˈrɑf- /

noun

1. the sport of traveling on rivers and streams by raft.

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Etymology

Origin of rafting

First recorded in 1690–1700; raft ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Marczak said he had begun the film almost by accident, when he and his wife were rafting down the river thinking about a fiction project when they ran into trouble.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026

Longer races, the ones Crane is involved in, can last several days and include running, mountain biking, climbing, white-water rafting and rappelling over courses that extend for hundreds of miles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

A British woman has died on a white-water rafting excursion in the French Alps.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2025

Yates and other whitewater enthusiasts, including some who run rafting businesses, are demanding changes in the hydroelectric plant’s operations to leave more water in the river.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2025

When I was finally allowed to read it, I very well knew this was no simple tale of rafting down a river but the everlasting story of America itself, with all our glory and shame.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam