gangplank

noun

gang·​plank ˈgaŋ-ˌplaŋk 

: a movable bridge used in boarding or leaving a ship at a pier

Examples of gangplank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One combat sequence at the end is genuinely excellent because the film puts actual creative effort into staging a knife-versus-ax duel on a gangplank that sways back and forth over the water. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Those worlds are stark monochromatic paintings, vast canvases slashed through with hard lines — a floor-to-ceiling column, a long tilting gangplank, an illuminated rectangle flown in at a precarious angle. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 May 2026

That started with Paul Maurice wearing khaki shorts and a breezy, blue shirt, as if to dress himself into a good mood — or at least try after a season when his two-time Stanley Cup champions admirably walked the gangplank. — Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026

Because there is no escalator to the top of the dome, Chalamet would have to summit a maze of catwalks and gangplanks in full protective gear. — Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 23 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

gang- (as in gangway) + plank entry 1

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gangplank

• nonbank
• outflank
• sandbank
• antitank
• interbank
• riverbank
• banc
• bank
• blank
• clank
• crank
• dank

Kids Definition

gangplank

noun

gang·​plank ˈgaŋ-ˌplaŋk 

: a movable bridge from a ship to the shore