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inlet

noun
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in·​let | \ ˈin-ˌlet How to pronounce inlet (audio) , -lət \

Definition of inlet

1a : 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
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Synonyms for inlet

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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 Over the next decade more than a hundred European ships went looking for Franklin and his men, searching the labyrinth of islands and inlets that make up the Canadian Arctic. — National Geographic, "Arctic obsession drove explorers to seek the North Pole," 24 Jan. 2020 When a kokanee salmon ventured up a narrow inlet, the bear ambushed the fish, an awesome spectacle of wildlife power. — Tom Stienstra, SFChronicle.com, "Like in Alaska, salmon draw in bears on Tahoe creeks," 19 Oct. 2019 Since 2008, on average 81% of the total population occupied the Susitna Delta near the north end of the inlet in early June during the aerial survey period. — USA TODAY, "Animatronic groundhog, coalfield crayfish, Old Bay sauce: News from around our 50 states," 30 Jan. 2020 The discovery happened about 7 a.m. in the 2100 block of South Ocean Lane in front of the Point of Americas condominiums just north of the inlet to Port Everglades. — Wayne K. Roustan, sun-sentinel.com, "Body found near port jetty in Fort Lauderdale," 18 Oct. 2019 The powerful tides of the inlet had already diffused the gas into the surrounding waters, far beyond the patch of bubbles. — Popular Mechanics, "The Invisible Battle for America’s Airwaves," 17 June 2019 The ship spends the day sailing into inlets and turning around, so all viewing areas from the ship can see the entire scene. — You, refinery29.com, "I’m 31 & This Is How Much I Spent On My Solo Trip On A Cruise Through Alaska," 30 Jan. 2020 Typically a copper water block is placed on the CPU or GPU and hooked up to inlet and and outlet tubes. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "IceGiant says its giant cooler can even tame AMD's giant Threadripper," 27 Jan. 2020 There were once at least 50 ice cellars in Point Hope, an Inupiat whaling village built on a triangular spit surrounded by a large inlet and the Chukchi and Arctic oceans. — Author: Rachel D'oro, Anchorage Daily News, "Failing permafrost cellars signal change in Alaska whaling towns," 26 Nov. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inlet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of inlet

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for inlet

from its letting water in

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Time Traveler for inlet

Time Traveler

The first known use of inlet was circa 1576

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Statistics for inlet

Last Updated

29 Apr 2020

Cite this Entry

“Inlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inlet. Accessed 27 May. 2020.

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More Definitions for inlet

inlet

noun
How to pronounce inlet (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of inlet

: a narrow area of water that goes into the land from a sea or lake
: an opening through which air, gas, or liquid can enter something (such as a machine)

See the full definition for inlet in the English Language Learners Dictionary

inlet

noun
in·​let | \ ˈin-ˌlet How to pronounce inlet (audio) \

Kids Definition of inlet

1 : a small or narrow bay
2 : an opening through which air, gas, or liquid can enter something

inlet

noun
in·​let | \ ˈin-ˌlet, -lət How to pronounce inlet (audio) \

Medical Definition of inlet

: the upper opening of a bodily cavity especially : that of the cavity of the true pelvis bounded by the pelvic brim

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More from Merriam-Webster on inlet

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for inlet

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with inlet

Spanish Central: Translation of inlet

Nglish: Translation of inlet for Spanish Speakers

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