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In the 17th–19th centuries, a frigate was a three-masted, fully rigged sailing ship, often carrying 30–40 guns in all. Smaller and faster than ships of the line (the principal vessels of naval warfare), frigates served as scouts or as escorts protecting merchant convoys; they also cruised the seas as merchant raiders themselves. In World War II, Britain revived the term frigate using it to describe escort ships equipped with sonar and depth charges, and used these ships to guard convoys from submarines. In the postwar decades, the frigate also adopted an antiaircraft role, adding radar and surface-to-air missiles. Modern frigates can sail at a speed of 30 knots and carry a crew of 200.
Examples of frigate in a Sentence
ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The number of vessels in the Royal Navy fleet, including aircraft carriers, destroyers frigates and submarines has fallen from 166 in 1975 to 66 in 2025, according to the Associated Press’ analysis of figures from the Ministry of Defense and the House of Commons Library.
—Pan Pylas, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
The five Inspiration Class frigates will form a key part of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet, undertaking missions including interception, intelligence gathering, defense engagement, and humanitarian support.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
An Iranian mine nearly sank an American frigate.
—Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Frigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frigate. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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frigate
noun
