inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

a

: a bay or recess in the shore of a sea, lake, or river

also : creek

b

: a narrow water passage between peninsulas or through a barrier island leading to a bay or lagoon

2

: a way of entering

especially : an opening for intake

Synonyms

• arm
• bay
• bight
• cove
• creek [chiefly British]
• embayment
• estuary
• firth
• fjord
• fiord
• gulf
• loch [Scottish]

Examples of inlet in a Sentence

The coast is dotted with tiny inlets.

went fishing in the quiet inlets of the coast

Recent Examples on the Web

The quarantine area extends along the California coastline from Oregon to the Mexican border — including all bays, inlets and harbors in Los Angeles County, according to public health officials. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025

West Side On a map, Antigua vaguely resembles an oblong circle, its jagged coastline interrupted by bays, peninsulas, and tiny inlets that hide each of its 365 beaches. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2025

Jupiter Dive Center offers snorkeling tours near the Jupiter Lighthouse inlet to see starfish, crabs, and maybe a manatee passing through. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 3 Jan. 2025

As the boat of partiers zooms away into the choppy waters of the Boca Raton inlet, the video pans out to the spread of debris left floating in their wake. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from its letting water in

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for inlet

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

: a small or narrow bay

2

: an opening for intake especially of fluids

Medical Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet, -lət 

: the upper opening of a bodily cavity

especially : that of the cavity of the true pelvis bounded by the pelvic brim