riptide
Ocean's hidden danger
A riptide is a strong, narrow current flowing outward from shore, capable of pulling swimmers into deeper water.
The term is somewhat imprecise—oceanographers prefer "rip current"—but riptide dominates popular usage.
Figuratively, a riptide is any powerful force that pulls you in an unwanted direction: caught in a riptide of debt, the emotional riptide of grief.
Subsurface seaward current
- currentDirected flow of charge
- wavesTraveling energy disturbances
- surfWaves near shore
- swellIncrease in size
pull · drift · channel · shoreline · beach · coastal · seawater · sandbar
Paid swimming supervisor
- buoyTethered nautical signal
- flotationAbility to stay afloat
- coastguardSeafaring emergency responders
- helicopterRotary-wing aircraft
survival · swimmer · safety · whistle · rescue board · alert · swimmer · float
Alert about danger
- drowningDeath by water inhalation
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
- exhaustionState of utter depletion
treacherous · hazard · fatality · signs · flags · swimmer · victim · trap
Force toward oneself
- swept awayRemoved by force
- undercurrentFlow beneath the surface
- forceStrength or compulsion
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
emotional · overwhelming · caught · struggle · inescapable · momentum · chaos · whirlwind
undertow
Subsurface seaward current
swell · pull · drift · channel · shoreline · beach · coastal · seawater · sandbar · breaker
lifeguard
Paid swimming supervisor
- buoyTethered nautical signal
- flotationAbility to stay afloat
- coastguardSeafaring emergency responders
helicopter · survival · swimmer · safety · whistle · rescue board · alert · swimmer · float · parallel
warning
Alert about danger
- drowningDeath by water inhalation
- panicUncontrollable sudden fear
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
exhaustion · treacherous · hazard · fatality · signs · flags · swimmer · victim · trap · peril
pull
Force toward oneself
- swept awayRemoved by force
- undercurrentFlow beneath the surface
- forceStrength or compulsion
turmoil · emotional · overwhelming · caught · struggle · inescapable · momentum · chaos · whirlwind · engulf
peak
Utmost height attained
break · swell · section · outflow · positioning · timing · set · outside · takeoff
- beachbeach, sand, wave, waves, surf
- beach safetylifeguard, warning flag, red flag, no swimming, lifeguard tower
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- lifeguardinglifeguard, lifeguard stand, rescue tube, rescue buoy, CPR
- nature hazardslightning, wildfire, avalanche, earthquake, tornado
- Ocean Phenomenatsunami, rogue wave, ocean current, swells, whirlpool
riptidestill water
Water not flowing
dead calm · calm waters · slack water · sheltered cove · lagoon