plural boats
1
a
: a small vessel for travel on water
b
: ship
2
: a boat-shaped container, utensil, or device
a gravy boat
a laboratory boat
3
informal
: a large car
A lot of people still think Cadillac makes big floaty boats.—
Mark LaNeve
Mark LaNeve
boated; boating; boats
: to place in or bring into a boat
: to go by boat
Examples of boat in a Sentence
Noun
He tied the boat to the dock.
Cruise ships and other boats filled the harbor.
traveling by boat across the ocean
Verb
We boated over to the island.
boated to the picnic site on an island in the bay
Recent Examples on the Web
Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 27 Nov. 2025
Santa clad in boardshorts and Hawaiian shirt will arrive by boat from the San Diego Bay and lead a parade to the fountain courtyard.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2025
Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025
The Carman Family Deaths Nathan Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, went on a boating trip to an island off the coast of Rhode Island.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boat
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Noun
The East Bay Regional Park District will waive all entrance and park use fees on Friday — including parking, boat launching and fishing, in addition to access to Ardenwood Historic Farm — as an alternative to Black Friday shopping.
—Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 27 Nov. 2025
Santa clad in boardshorts and Hawaiian shirt will arrive by boat from the San Diego Bay and lead a parade to the fountain courtyard.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
After the crash, Paul Murdaugh was charged with boating under the influence causing severe bodily injury and death — charges that were still pending at the time of his own death in 2021.
—Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025
The Carman Family Deaths Nathan Carman and his mother, Linda Carman, went on a boating trip to an island off the coast of Rhode Island.
—Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for boat
Cite this Entry
“Boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boat. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boat
1 of 2 noun1
: a small vessel for travel on water
3
: a boat-shaped utensil
gravy boat
boat
2 of 2 verb1
: to put into or carry in a boat
2
: to travel by boat
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