lifeboat

noun

life·​boat ˈlīf-ˌbōt 

: a sturdy buoyant boat (such as one carried by a ship) for use in an emergency and especially in saving lives at sea

Examples of lifeboat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, possibly, the lifeboat encountered more of the bad weather the Mary Celeste had already experienced and sank. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Nov. 2026

Unable to fully launch the lifeboats, crew members jumped in the water. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026

Channel ports, housing for asylum seekers and even the lifeboat charity that rescues people in danger at sea have been targeted by anti-migrant protests encouraged by far-right activists. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

When Wither was initially reported missing from the ferry, officials from HM Coastguard as well as Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboats and local rescue teams used helicopters as well as other aircrafts and vessels to search for him. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lifeboat

• anecdote
• antidote
• asymptote
• creosote
• dimethoate
• epidote
• ferryboat
• motorboat
• overcoat
• petticoat
• riverboat
• undercoat

Kids Definition

lifeboat

noun

life·​boat -ˌbōt 

: a sturdy boat (as one carried by a ship) for use in an emergency and especially for saving lives at sea