keeled; keeling; keels
1
: to fall in or as if in a faint
—usually used with over
keeled over from exhaustion
2
of a boat or ship
: to heel or lean precariously
Examples of keel in a Sentence
Verb (1)
I swear I'll keel over if you make me dissect a frog
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2026
Through it all, Cenac has been even keeled, a willing student.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 17 Jan. 2026
Canales said Young has stayed even keeled through his struggles, which has given Canales the confidence to continue giving him opportunities down the field.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Labial scales: The vertical scales along the lips (jawline), often keeled and shaped distinctly, useful for differentiating rattlesnakes from similar species.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for keel
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Verb
According to the study, the new species differs from its congeners—meaning related species in the same genus—in bearing an elongate rostral appendage, green or ochre dorsum, orange-brown belly, and moderately keeled vertebral dorsal scale row.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2026
Through it all, Cenac has been even keeled, a willing student.
—Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, 17 Jan. 2026
Canales said Young has stayed even keeled through his struggles, which has given Canales the confidence to continue giving him opportunities down the field.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Labial scales: The vertical scales along the lips (jawline), often keeled and shaped distinctly, useful for differentiating rattlesnakes from similar species.
—Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for keel
Cite this Entry
“Keel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keel. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
keel
1 of 2 noun1
: a timber or plate that runs lengthwise along the center of the bottom of a ship and usually sticks out from the bottom
2
: something (as the breastbone of a bird or the lower two petals of a pea flower) that is like a ship's keel in form or use
keel
2 of 2 verb
: to turn (a ship or boat) over
Medical Definition
keel
noun
: acute septicemic salmonellosis or paratyphoid of ducklings marked by sudden collapse and death of apparently healthy birds
called also keel disease
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