as in shallow
lacking significant physical depth
shoal waters of the bay meant that our ship had to be moored a considerable distance from shore
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Recent Examples of shoal
Madeline Bilis,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Manila has accused China of using force to block access by fishermen and the coast guard to the shoal, which used to be under Philippine control until 2012.
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ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
As a result, the wide, shallow bay, with its lacework of shoals and basins, grows hot and hypersaline, killing seagrass, fueling algae blooms and hurting the economy of the Keys.
—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
As the southern Gulf Stream clashes with the northern Labrador Current, the rough waters steer sailors toward shallow shoals and ultimate disaster.
—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shoal
Noun
Rose Island Lighthouse stands on a rocky heap of land in Narragansett Bay, guiding ships away from the shallow shoals of Newport Harbor.
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Madeline Bilis,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
Manila has accused China of using force to block access by fishermen and the coast guard to the shoal, which used to be under Philippine control until 2012.
—
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
As a result, the wide, shallow bay, with its lacework of shoals and basins, grows hot and hypersaline, killing seagrass, fueling algae blooms and hurting the economy of the Keys.
—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
As the southern Gulf Stream clashes with the northern Labrador Current, the rough waters steer sailors toward shallow shoals and ultimate disaster.
—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shoal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoal
Adjective
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With a capacity of 45 passengers, the mésoscaphe, a submarine for shallow to mid-range depths, made more than a thousand dives that summer, ferrying 33,000 ordinary people into the lake’s depths.
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Also called Eastern poplar, they’re related to willow trees, and their shallow roots can easily uproot sidewalks, driveways, foundations, and septic systems.
Noun
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The government is also working with private developers, banks and the real estate sector to accelerate temporary and permanent housing solutions.
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The crux of the case stems from a 2019 armed robbery at a Virginia bank and how police tracked down the robber.
Cite this Entry
“Shoal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoal. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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