Meaning & use

neap tide

phrase·Academic

A tide with an unusually small range, occurring when the sun and moon's pulls partly cancel out.

See it in a sentence

During neap tide, the water barely rose above the usual high-water mark.

Sailors planned the shallow crossing for neap tide, when the currents were weaker.

A note on using this word

Neap tides occur near the first and third quarters of the moon, in contrast to the larger spring tides at new and full moon.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

spring tide

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