boat

1 of 2

noun

plural boats
Synonyms of boatnext
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 noun
boatlike 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In 1966, Lowe’s father, a young DJ, set out on a fishing boat with five friends in order to break that monopoly. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2025 Leonard Ortiz/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images Few things says holiday cheer like a boat bedecked in sparkling lights. Mason Leath, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
Those chemicals, along with boating gas and oil contaminants, could flow back into the creek, nearby wetlands and well groundwater, per the letter. Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 16 Dec. 2025 The Central Park Boathouse, located on Central Park North by 72nd Street, is a New York City landmark with a restaurant, bar, boating on a lake, and captivating views. David Moin, Footwear News, 13 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boat

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of boat was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boat. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

boat

1 of 2 noun
1
: a small vessel for travel on water
2
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

More from Merriam-Webster on boat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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