lifeboat

noun

life·​boat ˈlīf-ˌbōt How to pronounce lifeboat (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Coast Guard report noted that no lifeboats were deployed and no distress call was sent. Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025 Two people close enough to the wooden lifeboat were pulled in. Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025 In a video obtained by the Associated Press, the ship is first seen in the waters being circled by a lifeboat with emergency responders aboard. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025 Others, a lifeboat adrift in time. Alma Rota, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lifeboat

Word History

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifeboat was in 1797

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Cite this Entry

“Lifeboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifeboat. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

lifeboat

noun
life·​boat -ˌbōt How to pronounce lifeboat (audio)
: a sturdy boat (as one carried by a ship) for use in an emergency and especially for saving lives at sea
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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