inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

a

: a bay or recess in the shore of a sea, lake, or river

also : creek

b

: a narrow water passage between peninsulas or through a barrier island leading to a bay or lagoon

2

: a way of entering

especially : an opening for intake

Synonyms of inlet

• bay
• estuary
• cove

Examples of inlet in a Sentence

The coast is dotted with tiny inlets.

went fishing in the quiet inlets of the coast

Recent Examples on the Web

For direct charging from the grid, Aboard installs a NACS inlet for both AC charging at the campground and Level 3 DC fast-charging at EV stations. — New Atlas, 23 July 2026

Rozelle brought the idea to his church, The Church by the Sea — a nondenominational Christian congregation of a few hundred people that sits on an inlet with 860 feet of coastline. — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 22 July 2026

According to a report by Securities Times, the successful test marks the end of on-site assembly and testing for the first large-inlet spherical valve at the hydropower station. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026

Its shallow draft allows access to narrow inlets and wildlife-rich fjords beyond the reach of larger ships. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

from its letting water in

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for inlet

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• binet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

: a small or narrow bay

2

: an opening for intake especially of fluids

Medical Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet, -lət 

: the upper opening of a bodily cavity

especially : that of the cavity of the true pelvis bounded by the pelvic brim