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

Get Up and Go Kayaking - Florida Keys offers guided eco-tours departing from Sugarloaf Marina in clear kayaks that let paddlers see directly into the cerulean waters below. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 20 June 2026

Supporters say the gambling money is a godsend for ranchers, fishermen, paddlers and others who want to protect the state’s water and those who depend on it for their livelihoods. — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026

Groups of fishermen and paddlers who are now renewing this push for legislation — that didn’t happen this last session. — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 10 June 2026

In the video, the animal jumps out of the water and lands on the front of the canoe, splashing several paddlers. — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paddler

• saddler