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

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

In the back there was a crane, three large containers and – according to the first group of fishermen – a smaller motorboat. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026

The vessel was a 22-foot bowrider motorboat, according to the New York Post. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026

Most motorboats won’t fit beneath the medieval bridge at Potter Heigham, and so are restricted to the southern Broads. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 9 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