boat

1 of 2

noun

ˈbōt 

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

ˈbōt-ˌfu̇l 

noun

boatlike

ˈbōt-ˌlīk 

adjective

see also:

in the same boat

boat

2 of 2

verb

boated; boating; boats

transitive verb

: to place in or bring into a boat

intransitive verb

: to go by boat

Synonyms of boat

Noun

• vessel
• yacht
• canoe
• kayak
• raft

Verb

• sail
• ferry

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

Over the July 4 weekend, the couple were photographed riding in a boat on Lake Coeur d’Alene in northwest Idaho. — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 9 July 2026

Trip reports were vague but full of warnings about steep canyon walls and boat-eating holes. — John Todd, Outdoor Life, 9 July 2026

Verb

She was reported missing on April 4 while boating near Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands with her husband. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

As a result, the department is urging the public to review water and boating safety guidance. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 29 June 2026

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

Phrases Containing boat

• assault boat
• boat hook
• boat people
• boat shoe
• boat train
• flying boat
• fresh/just off the boat
• in the same boat
• jolly boat
• miss the boat
• motor torpedo boat
• narrow boat
• pedal boat
• PT boat
• push the boat out
• Q-boat
• rock the boat
• rowing boat
• swan boat
• torpedo boat
• U-boat

Rhymes for boat

• bloat
• choate
• coat
• cote
• dote
• float
• gloat
• goat
• groat
• haute
• moat
• mote

Kids Definition

boat

1 of 2 noun

ˈbōt 

1

: a small vessel for travel on water

2

: ship entry 1 sense 1

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