paddler

noun

pad·​dler ˈpad-lər 

ˈpa-dᵊl-ər

plural paddlers

: one who paddles something (such as a canoe or kayak)

One of the most rewarding sights to greet an early morning canoeist is that of a great blue heron feeding along the edge of a lake. … If the paddler is careful, he can glide close to the huge blue-gray bird …

—Ton de Joode and Anthonie Stolk

In a freestyle competition, paddlers use small, flat-bottomed, and often blunt-ended, funky-looking white-water kayaks to perform routines for judges.

—Nancy Coulter-Parker

Examples of paddler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

More women are joining the new generation of sailors, paddlers and voyagers. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Other groups are paddling to pick-up points for evacuation while some outfitters are rescuing paddlers with towboats. — Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 16 July 2026

The first leg of the trip spans two or three days, and brings paddlers to Fure's Cabin on Naknek Lake, a public-use cabin built in 1926; reservations for overnight stays are required. — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026

They’re also recommended for nonswimmers, new or weak paddlers, and anyone who is nervous around water, no matter their age. — Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paddler

• saddler