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
This was in the middle of the night - very little moon, a little bit of cloud cover, very hard to see, boats have no lights. Norman Oliver, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025 But the more than 3,000-page measure also includes provisions that challenge the Defense Department, from requiring additional information on boat strikes in the Caribbean to expanding support for European allies like Ukraine. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2025
Verb
Or take to the ocean for water adventures such as boating, deep-sea fishing, or diving and snorkeling by the magnificent Maldivian coral reefs. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2025 Pino was initially charged with three careless boating misdemeanors in the crash. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 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 14 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

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