low-lying

comparative lower-lying · superlative lowest-lying · alternative lowlying

1. Lower than nearby areas.

   Increasingly, low-lying coastal cities in the United States are experiencing what’s known as sunny-day flooding, when all it takes is a high tide to send water gushing into the streets.

   2020 April, Elizabeth Kolbert, “Why we won't avoid a climate catastrophehttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/04/why-we-wont-avoid-a-climate-catastrophe-feature/”, in National Geographic

   4 more examples

   Coastal defences were breached at many places from the Humber right round to the outskirts of London, and the inundation of low-lying lands caused damage on a scale unequalled within living memory.

   1953 May, “British Railways and the January Floods”, in Railway Magazine, page 301

   The route passes over low-lying land, the only item of note being the Cerebos salt works at Greatham, where one may catch a glimpse of the smart black diesel locomotive emblazoned with the firm's name writ large.

   1959 August, K. Hoole, “The Middlesbrough — Newcastle route of the N.E.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 359

   West of Keswick a short descent at 1 in 122 brings the train down to the low-lying and marshy ground between Derwentwater and Bassenthwaite Lake and to the crossing of the Derwent - the outfall from Derwentwater, [...].

   1961 October, Voyageur, “The Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway”, in Trains Illustrated, page 601

   No trees have grown on the windswept Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean for tens of thousands of years — just shrubs and other low-lying vegetation. That’s why a recent arboreal discovery nearly 20 feet (6 meters) beneath the ground caught researchers’ attention.

   2024 September 27, Katie Hunt, “Scientists discover hidden ancient forest on treeless island”, in CNN

   Antonyms: high-lying

2. geographyLocated or situated below or near a sea level.

   low-lying islands

3. idiomaticOf a person, lying low; concealed; hidden.