overboard

adverb

over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
1
: over the side of a ship or boat into the water
2
: to extremes of enthusiasm
3
: into discard : aside

Examples of overboard in a Sentence

He threw the fish overboard. The boy fell overboard and almost drowned. One of the sailors fell into the water, and someone shouted “Man overboard!”.
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.
If any of the strangers in this open boat lost their minds and threw a few of us overboard, threw me overboard, that would be that. Ann Patchett, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025 Their vessel, Thelma, was capsized after being battered by the turbulent swells when the engine failed; 17 people were tossed overboard into the raging sea. Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 22 Sep. 2025 Ship-tracking data showed apparent search-and-rescue operations in the area following the accident, indicating some crew members may have been thrown overboard by the impact. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 The signal, per Marine Insight, is used to alert the crew to a man overboard event on the line. Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overboard

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of overboard was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overboard. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

overboard

adverb
over·​board ˈō-vər-ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce overboard (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
1
: over the side of a ship into the water
2
: to extremes of enthusiasm
go overboard for a new fad

More from Merriam-Webster on overboard

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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