mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmer-ə-nər 
ˈma-rə-
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In Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, an old seaman tells of how, by shooting a friendly albatross, he had brought storms and disaster to his ship, and how as punishment his shipmates hung the great seabird around the mariner's neck and made him wear it until it rotted. The word mariner has occasionally been used to mean simply "explorer", as in the famous Mariner spaceflights in the 1960s and '70s, the first to fly close to Mars, Venus, and Mercury.
Examples of mariner in a Sentence
the ancient Phoenicians were outstanding mariners who explored and colonized much of the eastern Mediterranean
Recent Examples on the Web
While no one should be outside during a hurricane, mariners, swimmers and those who live along the coast should stay out of the water even if a storm is miles away.
—
Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
The 200 square miles of surrounding coral reefs proved rough for mariners, but divers now reap the benefits with some 300 shipwrecks to explore, from the 192-foot American schooner Constellation that sank during World War II to the Mary Celestia, a Civil War era paddle-wheeler.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
When a whale is spotted, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sets up a slow zone, in which mariners are asked to slow their speed to 10 knots (11.5 mph) or less to reduce the likelihood of hitting a whale and the risk of fatally injuring it.
—Nate Iglehart, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
This date is also supported by a notice to mariners, but it should be taken as notional rather than something to be confident in.
—ArsTechnica, 9 May 2025
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Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
The 200 square miles of surrounding coral reefs proved rough for mariners, but divers now reap the benefits with some 300 shipwrecks to explore, from the 192-foot American schooner Constellation that sank during World War II to the Mary Celestia, a Civil War era paddle-wheeler.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 22 May 2025
When a whale is spotted, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sets up a slow zone, in which mariners are asked to slow their speed to 10 knots (11.5 mph) or less to reduce the likelihood of hitting a whale and the risk of fatally injuring it.
—Nate Iglehart, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025
This date is also supported by a notice to mariners, but it should be taken as notional rather than something to be confident in.
—ArsTechnica, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mariner
Cite this Entry
“Mariner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mariner. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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mariner
noun
mar·i·ner
ˈmar-ə-nər
: one who navigates or assists in navigating a ship : sailor
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