boat

1 of 2

noun

ˈbōt 

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

boatful

ˈbōt-ˌfu̇l 

noun

boatlike

ˈbōt-ˌlīk 

adjective

boat

2 of 2

verb

boated; boating; boats

transitive verb

: to place in or bring into a boat

intransitive verb

: to go by boat

Phrases

in the same boat

: in the same situation or predicament

Synonyms

Noun

• bottom
• craft
• vessel
• watercraft

Verb

• cruise
• ferry
• navigate
• sail
• ship (out)
• voyage

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

Noun

More specifically, Baltra Island, a short scenic boat trip from Santa Cruz, the base for expeditions into the archipelago. —Duncan Madden, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Parts of the river so choked by weed that boat traffic was stopped were clear within days. —Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 12 May 2025

Verb

Obviously, with all the lake access, water sports—from boating, to kayaking, to canoeing—are a main draw. —Elise Taylor, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2025

In addition to crime, the advisory urges tourists to be aware of the dangers that can come with certain activities, such as jet skiing, boating and even just relaxing at the beach. —Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing boat

• assault boat
• boat hook
• boat people
• boat shoe
• boat train
• flying boat
• fresh/just off the boat
• jolly boat
• miss the boat
• motor torpedo boat
• narrow boat
• pedal boat
• PT boat
• push the boat out
• Q-boat
• rock the boat
• rowing boat
• swan boat
• torpedo boat
• U-boat

Rhymes for boat

• bloat
• choate
• coat
• cote
• dote
• float
• gloat
• goat
• groat
• haute
• moat
• mote

Kids Definition

boat

1 of 2 noun

ˈbōt 

1

: a small vessel for travel on water

2

: ship entry 1 sense 1

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