coast

noun

\ ˈkōst

Definition of coast

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the land near a shore : seashore

2 obsolete : border, frontier

3a : a hill or slope suited to coasting

b : a slide down a slope (as on a sled)

4 often capitalized : the Pacific coast of the U.S.

5 : the immediate area of view —used in the phrase the coast is clear

from coast to coast

: across an entire nation or continent

coast

verb

coasted; coasting; coasts

Definition of coast (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 obsolete : to move along or past the side of : skirt

2 : to sail along the shore of

intransitive verb

1a archaic : to travel on land along a coast or along or past the side of something

b : to sail along the shore

2a : to slide, run, or glide downhill by the force of gravity

b : to move along without or as if without further application of propulsive power (as by momentum or gravity)

c : to proceed easily without special application of effort or concern coasted through school —often used with on a company coasting on its good reputation

Other Words from coast Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about coast

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Synonyms & Antonyms for coast

Synonyms: Verb

bowl, breeze, brush, cruise, drift, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whisk

Antonyms: Verb

flounder, struggle

Examples of coast in a Sentence

Noun

He lives on the coast. He's flying out to the Coast tomorrow.

Verb

The car coasted to a stop. The airplane coasted down the runway. The children coasted on sleds down the snowy hill. They came coasting down the hill on bicycles. After taking a big lead, the team coasted to victory. He was accused of trying to coast through school. She decided she could coast along without a job for the next few months. The company is coasting on its good reputation.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And for those who are more desperate to enter, well, Trump has perhaps not considered the fact that America is a city with two enormous coasts, which immigrants are increasingly turning to for entry. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "Why Trump's Wall Won't Work," 22 Feb. 2019 At Tyndall Air Force Base on the Florida coast, more than a dozen F-22 fighter jets were left in the path of Hurricane Michael in part due to the immense logistics that surround the Air Force’s most high-tech aircraft. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "What we learned from the disasters that hammered the US in 2018," 27 Dec. 2018 Among exotic, tropical vegetation along the Caribbean coast, the region is sprinkled with small fishing villages where indigenous villagers live in clapboard houses. — Moises Castillo, The Seattle Times, "AP PHOTOS: Lobster divers risk injury, death in Honduras," 26 Dec. 2018 The rocket's first stage will attempt a landing at SpaceX's site along the coast, Landing Zone 1. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "SpaceX launches 2.5 tons of cargo to the ISS, but … [Updated]," 5 Dec. 2018 The report breaks down major concerns facing rural areas, urban areas, the coasts, indigenous peoples, and 10 distinct regions in the US. — Mary Beth Griggs, The Verge, "Report finds that climate change could cause ‘substantial damages’ to US," 23 Nov. 2018 Location: Charleston, South Carolina Price: $7,950,000 There are plenty of gorgeous homes on the coast, from cozy beachside cottages to stunning mansions on a cliff. — Megan Barber, Curbed, "Grand home built in scenic Charleston harbor asks $7.9M," 6 Nov. 2018 Florence's effects were already being felt along the coast, with dangerous swells and rip currents in some spots. — Nicole Darrah, Fox News, "Florence forecast to become 'major hurricane,' moving towards southeastern US," 2 Oct. 2018 Along Antarctica’s west coast near the Amundsen Sea, great white glaciers the size of U.S. states slowly slide into the ocean. — Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, "East Antarctica's Sleeping Giant Awakes," 17 Aug. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Russian Army inherited large stocks of small arms, and has coasted on that inventory ever since. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Meet the Chukavin, Russia’s New Sniper Rifle," 6 Dec. 2018 For those of us watching, though, anything that awakens Golden State and forces them to stop coasting is a good thing. — Nathaniel Friedman, GQ, "The Rockets Are Exactly the Kind of Wake-Up Call the Warriors Need," 15 Mar. 2018 While expanding the playoff field, the new system also increased the significance of division championships, ensuring that no second-place team within striking distance of first would coast through September. — Jack Dickey, SI.com, "Midseason Report Card: Red Sox, Yankees Continue to Control the AL East," 29 June 2018 The sleek vessels coast through Seattle’s waters, offering glimpses of sea life, Mount Rainier, and the coastline. — Jenna Scatena, Condé Nast Traveler, "15 Best Things to Do in Seattle," 16 May 2018 Ms Gillibrand most recently coasted to re-election in 2018 and has more than $10.6 million left over from her Senate campaign, seed money that can be used in her presidential bid. — Ken Thomas, WSJ, "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Staffs Up for Likely 2020 Presidential Run," 11 Jan. 2019 The two-in-one show sometimes coasted on a lot of nostalgia, including audience-baiting résumé shout-outs and a salute to other hip-hop forefathers during the Melle Mel and Scorpio set that culminated with a dance break soundtracked by Run-DMC. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Best and worst of Summerfest Day 2: Marshmello, Nelly, Tory Lanez, Buckcherry and more," 28 June 2018 All of the empirical evidence pointed to the Dodgers, with their unparalleled depth and dynamic pitching, coasting into the postseason. — Jared Diamond, WSJ, "Brewers-Dodgers: A Matchup of Baseball’s Hottest Teams," 11 Oct. 2018 Incumbent Dianne Feinstein should coast to her fifth full term. — George Skelton, latimes.com, "Newsom ran a brilliant campaign, but voters deserve some details by November," 7 June 2018

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