plural boats
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
Mark LaNeve
boated; boating; boats
: to place in or bring into a boat
: 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
Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Two large dugongs swim quite close to the boat while a third baby dugong stays further back.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Saleen Martin, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
The brothers both frequently post about hanging out with each other on social media, including going boating and playing golf together.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boat
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Noun
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also said that Carranza was innocent and that his boat was displaying a distress signal at the time of the attack, according to CBS News.
—Amy McCarthy, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
Two large dugongs swim quite close to the boat while a third baby dugong stays further back.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Family members said Maggie was generous, loved hosting friends and family at her home, and loved spending time boating with her sons.
—Saleen Martin, USA Today, 15 Oct. 2025
The brothers both frequently post about hanging out with each other on social media, including going boating and playing golf together.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boat
Cite this Entry
“Boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boat. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boat
1 of 2 noun1
: a small vessel for travel on water
3
: a boat-shaped utensil
gravy boat
boat
2 of 2 verb1
: to put into or carry in a boat
2
: to travel by boat
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