Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Lying below the normal level: Describes an area of land that is at or near sea level, or lower than the surrounding land.
   • Having a small elevation above the ground or sea level: Describes something, such as clouds or terrain, that is not high up.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The city is vulnerable to flooding because it is built on low-lying land.
  • Low-lying clouds obscured the view of the mountains.
  • Many islands are low-lying and at risk from rising sea levels.

Advanced Usage

• "low-lying area/region/land": A common collocation to specify a geographical location.
  • The government is building sea walls to protect low-lying coastal areas.
• "low-lying fog": Fog that forms close to the ground.
  • Drivers were warned about patches of low-lying fog on the highway this morning.

Variants and Related Words

• Lowland (noun): An area of land that is low in relation to the surrounding country.
  • The river flows slowly through the broad lowlands.
• Sea-level (noun/adjective): The average level of the sea's surface, used as a standard for measuring heights and depths.
  • The airport's runway is only a few feet above sea-level.

Synonyms

• Flat: Having a level surface; without raised areas or indentations. (e.g., )
• Sunken: That has sunk or been submerged. (e.g., )

Related Phrases

• At or near sea level: A descriptive phrase with a similar meaning.
  • The Netherlands is a country largely at or near sea level.

Adjective

1. lying below the normal level
   • a low-lying desert
2. having a small elevation above the ground or horizon or sea level
   • low-lying clouds