roadstead

noun

road·​stead ˈrōd-ˌsted How to pronounce roadstead (audio)
: a place less enclosed than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor

Examples of roadstead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Container ships and oil tankers, waiting for a berth, are assigned a place to anchor in the roadstead off Long Beach and Huntington Harbor. Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2021 The Anzio roadstead was thick with Allied ships, but the Germans owned the skies. Bartle Bull, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2020

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of roadstead was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near roadstead

Cite this Entry

“Roadstead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadstead. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

roadstead

noun
road·​stead ˈrōd-ˌsted How to pronounce roadstead (audio)
: a place less enclosed than a harbor where ships may ride at anchor

More from Merriam-Webster on roadstead

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