Examples of gunboat in a Sentence
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The fort stood high above the river, where fearsome artillery was able to turn back the Union gunboats that had pounded low-lying Fort Henry into submission.
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Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Hamilton and Madison would have been aligned in horrified opposition had Washington, without congressional action, dispatched gunboats to sink British ships.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
During a fight with Iranian naval forces, the frigate USS Simpson sank an Iranian gunboat with an anti-ship missile after the Iranian boat fired a missile of its own at the Simpson and two other ships.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, none of the Iranian gunboats was shot up and sunk.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunboat
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Bill Steiden, Des Moines Register, 24 Mar. 2026
Hamilton and Madison would have been aligned in horrified opposition had Washington, without congressional action, dispatched gunboats to sink British ships.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
During a fight with Iranian naval forces, the frigate USS Simpson sank an Iranian gunboat with an anti-ship missile after the Iranian boat fired a missile of its own at the Simpson and two other ships.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026
Unfortunately, none of the Iranian gunboats was shot up and sunk.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gunboat
Cite this Entry
“Gunboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunboat. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gunboat
noun
gun·boat
ˈgən-ˌbōt 
: a small lightly armed ship for use in shallow waters
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