motorboat

1 of 2

noun

mo·​tor·​boat ˈmō-tər-ˌbōt 

plural motorboats

: a boat propelled usually by an internal combustion engine

motorboater

ˈmō-tər-ˌbō-tər 

noun

motorboating

ˈmō-tər-ˌbō-tiŋ 

noun

motorboat

2 of 2

verb

motorboated; motorboating; motorboats

1

intransitive : to travel by motorboat

… I motorboated to the island and scrambled onto the rocks.

—Joe Nickell

2

transitive informal + somewhat impolite : to shake one's head rapidly from side to side between the breasts of (someone) while imitating the sound of a motorboat

Synonyms of motorboat

Noun

• speedboat
• powerboat
• cruiser

Examples of motorboat in a Sentence

Noun

motorboats are banned on the lake because they are a hazard to swimmers

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Today, the use of motorboats has made the hunt increasingly controversial, placing traditional subsistence practices at the center of debates about culture, livelihoods and marine conservation. — Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Sailing aboard a 30-foot sloop on Acapulco Bay, Henry Kissinger kept a protective arm around his new wife, as a motorboat filled with the press corps followed. — Robert D. McFadden, Chicago Tribune, 21 Aug. 2026

The man accused of piloting an overcrowded motorboat that capsized in the waters off lower Manhattan, killing a young mother and her 5-month-old baby, has been arrested and targeted for deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

The club boasts a lake (no motorboats), plenty of tennis courts, and a clubhouse. — Sara Ruffin Costello, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for motorboat

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

Kids Definition

motorboat

noun

mo·​tor·​boat -ˌbōt 

: a boat driven by a motor