boat

1 of 2

noun

plural boats
1
a
: a small vessel for travel on water
b
: ship
2
: a boat-shaped container, utensil, or device
a gravy boat
a laboratory boat
3
informal : a large car
A lot of people still think Cadillac makes big floaty boats.Mark LaNeve
boatful noun
boatlike adjective

boat

2 of 2

verb

boated; boating; boats

transitive verb

: to place in or bring into a boat

intransitive verb

: to go by boat
Phrases
in the same boat
: in the same situation or predicament

Examples of boat in a Sentence

Noun He tied the boat to the dock. Cruise ships and other boats filled the harbor. traveling by boat across the ocean Verb We boated over to the island. boated to the picnic site on an island in the bay
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Officials said his vehicle was found unlocked, with the keys still inside, near the boat ramp, and his kayak was found on the water nearby. Brenda Ordonez, The Enquirer, 16 Mar. 2024 The Office of Emergency Management also launched a boat Tuesday to search the Cumberland River for Strain in a coordinated effort with police. Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024 Whether fishing from shore or from a boat, Florida is one of the premier states for catching trophy bass. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 13 Mar. 2024 Days prior, while enjoying a relaxing day on a boat, Culpo sported yet another stylish look. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 The boat was dispatched by the U.S. nonprofit World Central Kitchen, founded by celebrity chef José Andrés, and the Spanish search-and-rescue group Open Arms. Niha Masih, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024 Crypto is the rising tide that floats all boats Robinhood was one of the first mainstream companies to enable cryptocurrency trading on its platform (a retail brokerage app) and launched crypto wallets for traders. Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Why was Oshkosh's Monkey Island created? Monkey Island was constructed by the Oshkosh Yacht Club in 1913 as a breakwater for boats docked in Miller's Bay, according to Oshkosh Daily Northwestern records. Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 Cascio described an elegant wood-and-fabric miniature boat submitted by Abraham Lincoln, the only President to receive a patent. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024
Verb
And concrete is a pretty common material used in the boating business. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Experts say that boating accidents are easily preventable and boating is comparatively safer than driving a car, according to Paul Barnard, recreational boating safety program manager at the U.S. Coast Guard Eighth District in New Orleans. USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Members of the sheriff’s office search and rescue team, dive team, boating safety unit and other agencies responded to the scene to aid in the recovery of the two children. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 23 Feb. 2024 Located just minutes from the hiking, fishing and boating amenities of Blue Springs Lake, Fleming Park, and Lake Jacomo, and is less than 20 minutes from three area golf courses. Summit Homes, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 For boating and water enthusiasts, there’s direct water access via a three-slip dock, which has two jet ski lifts. Emma Reynolds, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 With more than 750 miles of shoreline, Lake Mead offers boating and camping opportunities and views of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The Super Bowl of boat shows returns to Miami for the biggest display of luxury yachts, sport fishers, performance boats, family cruisers, and boating accessories. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024 Yeti Camino 35 Carryall Yeti Camino 35 Carry All SEE IT For boating or camping, the Camino 35 carryall is an endlessly helpful tote bag that pairs well with a Yeti cooler to keep your dry gear (and snacks) organized. Travis Smola, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English boot, from Old English bāt; akin to Old Norse beit boat

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of boat was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near boat

Cite this Entry

“Boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

boat

1 of 2 noun
1
: a small vessel for travel on water
2
3
: a boat-shaped utensil
gravy boat

boat

2 of 2 verb
1
: to put into or carry in a boat
2
: to travel by boat

More from Merriam-Webster on boat

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