beach

noun \ ˈbēch \

Updated on: 26 May 2018

Definition of beach

1 : shore pebbles : shingle

2 a : a shore of a body of water covered by sand, gravel, or larger rock fragments

b : a seashore area

See beach defined for English-language learners

See beach defined for kids

Examples of beach in a Sentence

We spent the day at the beach.
she loves walking along the beach, looking for shells that the waves cast up

Recent Examples of beach from the Web

Already, squid eggs are being deposited on the beach, said Anne Shaffer, executive director of the institute.

— lynda v. mapes, The Seattle Times, "Lawsuit seeks more review of projects that ‘armor’ Puget Sound shoreline," 22 May 2018
The flight's destination, Holguin, is the capital of a province popular with tourists for its pristine beaches.

— author: sarah marsh, nelson acosta, Anchorage Daily News, "Passenger plane crashes in Cuba, killing more than 100 people," 19 May 2018
The rush of the rescue gone, time slowed and stretched out on the beach.

— ted czech, ajc, "Four Navy servicemen rescue drowning girls in Florida," 18 May 2018
But the film fully comes into its own on the beach.

— peter rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, "'On Chesil Beach' tells a tragic story of crossed love," 18 May 2018
Here on Langkawi, an island paradise tourists flock to for its white sandy beaches and azure sea, allegiances to Mahathir run deep.

— laignee barron / kedah, Time, "Mahathir Mohamad’s Last Stand: Malaysia's Aging Strongman Seeks to Unseat His Protégé," 8 May 2018
Not so at One&Only Palmilla, which has its own swimmable beach.

— mark rogers, USA TODAY, "Honeymoon guide: Six Los Cabos resorts for couples," 8 May 2018
Pensacola is known for its soft white sand beaches and pristine turquoise waters.

— amy aumick, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Explore Florida's Escambia County: Escape Pensacola's bustle on Perdido Key," 7 May 2018
The head of the center told police Skromane went to Kovalam, a place known for its beaches.

— kathleen joyce, Fox News, "Latvian woman’s decomposed body found a month after going missing from yoga retreat," 5 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'beach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of beach

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1535

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

beach Synonyms

Synonyms

beachfront, sand(s), strand;

Related Words

seaboard, seacoast, seashore, seaside;

coast, coastland, coastline, shore, shoreline;

oceanfront, shorefront, waterfront;

bank, riverbank, riverfront, riverside;

esplanade;

littoral;

Other Geology Terms

anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale

beach

verb

Definition of beach

transitive verb

1 : to run or drive ashore

beaching the landing craft in the assault

The storm damaged and beached half the fleet.

2 : to strand on or as if on a beach

a beached shark

See beach defined for English-language learners

Examples of beach in a Sentence

The pirates beached the ship on the island.

Recent Examples of beach from the Web

Smith spent his early summers working at Virginia Beach Patrol, providing float rentals to beach goers – which allowed him time to hone his craft.

— danielle page, USA TODAY, "How Virginia Beach became a surf destination," 2 Apr. 2018
Where to beach Mustique has the advantage of occupying the space between the Caribbean and the Atlantic, and its terrain reflects that duality.

— dan q. dao, GQ, "Your Guide to Mustique, the Private Caribbean Island Where You Can Stay in David Bowie's Former Villa," 25 Mar. 2018
In 2009, about 80 whales and dolphins died in a mass beaching at the same location, while 20 whales were beached in Bunbury, western Australia in 2015.

— eli meixler, Time, "Rescuers Are Searching for the Survivors After 150 Whales Wash Ashore in Western Australia," 23 Mar. 2018
Zinke has exempted only Florida from the drilling proposal, saying the risk to beach tourism revenue driving the state's economy is too great.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Zinke: Oil, gas exploration off Oregon coast might not happen," 13 Mar. 2018
Friday - Digs on Copalis and Mocrocks beaches only.

— bill monroe, OregonLive.com, "Washington opens two-day dig in daylight dusk this weekend," 13 Mar. 2018
In two separate incidents, hundreds of whales died after beaching themselves in the shallow waters of Golden Bay at the tip of New Zealand’s South Island.

— Newsweek, "March 10 Issue," 10 Mar. 2018
After a while a fellow came down and told us that the whale had beached itself around midnight.

— steve meyer, Anchorage Daily News, "A beached whale and a lingering, profound impact," 7 Mar. 2018
The opposing light went from green to yellow and red, leaving him beached in the middle of the street.

— caille millner, San Francisco Chronicle, "Early look at aging a prescription for enlightenment," 9 Feb. 2018

Origin and Etymology of beach

verbal derivative of ¹beach

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1799

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Nautical Terms

avast, aweigh, flotsam, jib, keel, lee, port, starboard, stay

BEACH Defined for English Language Learners

beach

noun

Definition of beach for English Language Learners

: an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake

beach

verb

Definition of beach for English Language Learners

: to cause (a boat or ship) to go out of the water and onto a beach

BEACH Defined for Kids

beach

noun \ ˈbēch \

Definition of beach for Students

: a sandy or gravelly part of the shore of an ocean or a lake

beach

verb

Definition of beach for Students

beached; beaching

: to run or drive ashore

beach a boat

Learn More about beach

See words that rhyme with beach Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for beach Spanish Central: Translation of beach Nglish: Translation of beach for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of beach for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about beach

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up beach? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

beach

Definition of beach

Examples of beach in a Sentence

Recent Examples of beach from the Web

Origin and Etymology of beach

beach Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Geology Terms

beach

Definition of beach

Examples of beach in a Sentence

Recent Examples of beach from the Web

Origin and Etymology of beach

Other Nautical Terms

Phrases Related to BEACH

Related Phrases

BEACH Defined for English Language Learners

beach

Definition of beach for English Language Learners

beach

Definition of beach for English Language Learners

BEACH Defined for Kids

beach

Definition of beach for Students

beach

Definition of beach for Students

Learn More about beach

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

8 Insults Made Up of a Noun and a Verb

'Judicial' v. 'Judicious': We'll Settle The Case

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word