riptide
Americannoun
noun
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Also called: rip. tide-rip. a stretch of turbulent water in the sea, caused by the meeting of currents or abrupt changes in depth
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Also called: rip current. a strong current, esp one flowing outwards from the shore, causing disturbance on the surface
Related Words
See undertow.
Etymology
Origin of riptide
Compare meaning
How does riptide compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A riptide is an extremely strong, unpredictable current that flows across another. Riptides are especially dangerous for ocean swimmers. When people talk about riptides, they usually mean the powerful, narrow currents of ocean water near the shore that can be hazardous to swimmers with little experience. Officially, this is incorrect: rip current is the name for this ocean phenomenon, while a riptide is a flow of water in an estuary. As long as you're not worried about being inaccurate, go ahead and use riptide's common meaning — people will know exactly what you mean.
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.
Investors felt a slight reprieve on Friday from the riptide that’s been gathering around artificial intelligence and the stock market.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 14, 2026
To empathize with her is not to presume to understand her; it’s to get caught in the riptide of her mysterious pleasures and pains.
From Salon • Jul. 29, 2025
A preliminary inquest hearing was told there was a "suggestion" a riptide led to the teenagers' deaths.
From BBC • Jul. 14, 2023
She noted that most companies are now bringing out product lines that have been in the works for at least a year, meaning that the Pride riptide may be only just beginning.
From Washington Times • May 29, 2023
I just dived back into the riptide of saving bees.
From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
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.
