coast

noun \ ˈkōst \

|Updated on: 11 Jun 2018

Examples: coast in a Sentence

1 : the land near a shore : seashore

2 obsolete : border, frontier

3 a : 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

—

coastal

play \ˈkōs-tᵊl\ adjective

—

coastwise

play \ˈkōst-ˌwīz\ adverb or adjective

— from coast to coast

: across an entire nation or continent

See coast defined for English-language learners

See coast defined for kids

Examples of coast in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of coast from the Web

The report found tidal flooding was at record levels last year along parts of the southeast Atlantic and eastern Gulf coasts.

— CBS News, "High-tide flooding in the U.S. is twice what it was 30 years ago, NOAA says," 7 June 2018
Significantly, Abu-Qarin is accused of organizing a migrant boat journey from Libya to Italy on April 18, 2015, in which 800 people drowned after the boat sank off the Libyan coast.

— nima elbagir and lauren said-moorhouse, CNN, "Unprecedented UN sanctions slapped on 'millionaire migrant traffickers'," 7 June 2018
In the past, the polluted discharges have led to widespread algae blooms along the Treasure Coast and too much oyster-killing freshwater on the west coast.

— jenny staletovich, miamiherald, "Florida's drenching May drowns a rain record more than a century old," 6 June 2018
The report found tidal flooding was at record levels last year along parts of the southeast Atlantic and eastern Gulf coasts.

— doyle rice, USA TODAY, "‘Clear-sky’ flooding worsens across U.S. as sea levels rise, report says," 6 June 2018
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke appeared briefly Jan. 9 in Tallahassee to announce drilling would not occur off the Florida coast.

— jim turner, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Push continues for drilling off Florida coast," 6 June 2018
At least one other drowning has been reported this season off the North Carolina coast and outside the park.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "For the second time this week, someone has died in the waters off NC's Cape Hatteras," 6 June 2018
Sixteen candidates, including four Democrats and eight Republicans, are running to represent the district, a swath that stretches from La Jolla and up the coast past Camp Pendleton to Dana Point in Orange County.

— joshua stewart, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Diane Harkey, Mike Levin, lead in early returns for the 49th District.," 5 June 2018
The map below shows the appoximate inland extent of saltwater intrusion along South Florida's coast.

— south florida sun sentinel, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Map: Saltwater intrusion in South Florida," 5 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.

Origin and Etymology of coast

Middle English cost, from Anglo-French coste, from Latin costa rib, side; akin to Old Church Slavonic kostĭ bone

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

coast

verb

coasted; coasting; coasts

transitive verb

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

2 : to sail along the shore of

intransitive verb

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

b : to sail along the shore

2 a : 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

See coast defined for English-language learners

Examples of coast in a Sentence

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 of coast from the Web

McCullers coasted through five innings, allowing just Nelson Cruz's fourth-inning solo home run.

— chandler rome, Houston Chronicle, "7th-inning rally sends Astros past Mariners," 7 June 2018
The Crusaders coasted from there, winning the fourth and final set 25-14 to secure a spot in the state championship game for the second time in three years.

— shelby dermer, Cincinnati.com, "Moeller volleyball handles Beavercreek, advances to Division I state championship," 3 June 2018
Hollingsworth coasted to the Republican nomination over challenger James Dean Alspach, a teacher and contractor from Morgantown.

— grace schneider, The Courier-Journal, "U.S. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, Democrat Liz Watson advance in Indiana's 9th District," 8 May 2018
On a day not long ago, a fist of clouds coasted across the sky.

— New York Times, "Never Solved, a College Dorm Fire Has Become One Man’s Obsession," 13 Apr. 2018
The driver, Lopez, coasted toward the right shoulder, but the car stalled in one of the freeway lanes, according to NBC Los Angeles Brendan Brock Both Lopez and Brock then got out of the car and began to push the vehicle to a shoulder lane.

— caitlin keating, PEOPLE.com, "California Man Sues Uber After Losing Both His Legs While Helping Driver Push Car Off Freeway," 12 Apr. 2018
The birds coasted down the snowfield to the valley below.

— author: christine cunningham, Anchorage Daily News, "Two dogs, hunting by their own set of rules," 10 Apr. 2018
The Mavs coasted in Friday's win behind a three-run second inning and single tallies in the third and fifth.

— bailey arredondo, star-telegram, "Patterson's arm, Hollie's bat power UTA to shutout win over ULM | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 30 Mar. 2018
Indiana outscored UW-Milwaukee, 20-3, over the last six-plus minutes of the second quarter Sunday and coasted to a 74-54 victory over the Panthers in the second round of the WNIT.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Indiana 74, UW-Milwaukee 54: Panthers fall to Hoosiers in WNIT," 18 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of coast

14th century

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

coast Synonyms

COAST Defined for English Language Learners

coast

noun

: the land along or near a sea or ocean
the Coast : the area along or near the Pacific Ocean

coast

verb

: to move forward using no power or very little power
: to move downhill by the force of gravity
: to progress or have success without special effort

COAST Defined for Kids

coast

noun \ ˈkōst \

: the land near a shore

coast

verb

coasted; coasting

1 : to move downhill by the force of gravity

2 : to sail close to shore along a coast

Learn More about coast

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for coast Spanish Central: Translation of coast Nglish: Translation of coast for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of coast for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about coast

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coast

coastal

coastwise

Examples of coast in a Sentence

Recent Examples of coast from the Web

Origin and Etymology of coast

coast

Examples of coast in a Sentence

Recent Examples of coast from the Web

First Known Use of coast

coast Synonyms

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COAST Defined for English Language Learners

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coast

COAST Defined for Kids

coast

coast

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