seawall

noun

sea·​wall ˈsē-ˌwȯl How to pronounce seawall (audio)
: a wall or embankment to protect the shore from erosion or to act as a breakwater

Examples of seawall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Last August, the National Park Service announced a more than $112 million investment to restore failing seawalls around a portion of the Tidal Basin and along the Potomac River. Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 Homeowners have put up boulders, seawalls and sandbags to protect their properties. Laylan Connelly, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 To prevent tidal flooding, the city is considering an 8-mile seawall to protect from storm surges. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2024 At least eight people were injured last week in Ventura County when a rogue wave jumped a seawall and cleared out cars and people in its path. USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024 But Lajoie warned that riprap seawalls usually fail. Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2023 Past stabilization work on the Del Mar bluffs included the installation of hundred of concrete-and-steel pilings, seawalls, retaining walls, drainage structures and more. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024 One of your first stops in the city should be Stanley Park, an urban oasis with a nearly 20-mile seawall, views of the waterfront, walking paths, forest trails, and more — all for free. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 21 Jan. 2024 People may think canal seawalls make such solutions impossible, but as the president of the Ecosphere Restoration Institute writes, that’s not quite true. South Florida Sun Sentinel, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seawall.' 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

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seawall was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near seawall

Cite this Entry

“Seawall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seawall. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

seawall

noun
sea·​wall ˈsē-ˌwȯl How to pronounce seawall (audio)
: a wall or bank to prevent sea waves from wearing away the shore

More from Merriam-Webster on seawall

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