stormwater

noun

storm·​wa·​ter ˈstȯrm-ˌwȯ-tər How to pronounce stormwater (audio)
-ˌwä-
: rainwater produced by a storm
a stormwater management system
As stormwater runs over lawns, streets and other man-made surfaces, it picks up pollutants—phosphorous and nitrogen from fertilizers, bacteria from pet waste and road salt, to name a few—and carries them into local streams and lakes.—Delen Goldberg
This rainfall "of biblical proportions," as the local newspaper described it, swamped the city in waist-high stormwater.—Christopher Cooper and Robert Block

Examples of stormwater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
New Jersey authorized stormwater utilities in 2019, giving every town the power to fund drainage improvements through modest fees tied to pavement and runoff, yet almost no municipality has created one. — Ravi S. Bhalla, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026 Check for public health warnings about sewage contamination due to stormwater in local waterways. — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2026 Voters approved on Tuesday a 1/4-cent sales tax to help fund Lee’s Summit’s stormwater infrastructure and maintenance improvements, according to unofficial election results in Jackson County. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026 Styropek also had to eliminate the unauthorized discharge of plastic pellets from all of the facility’s stormwater drains. — Sarah J. Morath, The Conversation, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stormwater

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stormwater was in 1848

Rhymes for stormwater

See All Rhymes for stormwater

Browse Nearby Words

storm warning
stormwater
storm welt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stormwater.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stormwater. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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