often attributive
1
a
: a natural stream of water of usually considerable volume
b
2
a
: something resembling a river
a river of lava
b
rivers plural
: large or overwhelming quantities
drank rivers of coffee
Examples of river in a Sentence
The raft is too small to use on this part of the river.
Rivers of mud flowed down the hillside.
Recent Examples on the Web
Titan shows all the characteristics of a planet – including rivers, lakes, clouds, rain and even a salty subsurface ocean.
—
Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 12 May 2025
Without protected public access, rivers can easily be privatized and fenced off.
—Cassidy Randall, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Think of a close-to-home tropical paradise, and perhaps Costa Rica comes to mind, or even a Caribbean island destination like Jamaica with its tangle of clear rivers and dense jungles.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Known for their time on Top Chef, brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio joined forces for the first time to debut Voltaggio Brothers Steak House at MGM National Harbor located in Oxon Hill, Maryland, right across the river from Washington, D.C.
—Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for river
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Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 12 May 2025
Without protected public access, rivers can easily be privatized and fenced off.
—Cassidy Randall, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Think of a close-to-home tropical paradise, and perhaps Costa Rica comes to mind, or even a Caribbean island destination like Jamaica with its tangle of clear rivers and dense jungles.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2025
Known for their time on Top Chef, brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio joined forces for the first time to debut Voltaggio Brothers Steak House at MGM National Harbor located in Oxon Hill, Maryland, right across the river from Washington, D.C.
—Aly Walansky, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for river
Cite this Entry
“River.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/river. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
river
noun
riv·er
ˈriv-ər 
1
: a natural stream of water larger than a brook or creek
2
: a large stream or flow
the jet stream is a river of air
Etymology
Middle English rivere "river," from early French rivere (same meaning), derived from Latin riparius "related to or located on the bank of a river," from ripa "shore"
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