raft

verb

rafted; rafting; rafts

transitive verb

1

a

: to transport by means of a raft (see raft entry 1 sense 1a)

Lewis was rafting supplies cross river … when he dumped his raft, soaking his chronometer.

—Fred Haefele

b

: to transport in the form of a raft (see raft entry 1 sense 1b)

… the logs which had been floating in them were swept down the river to the sea before being rafted away to the sawmills.

—D. A. Bathgate

c

: to convey (something, such as pebbles) in floating ice or masses of organic material

… sediment deposits are dominated by rock fragments released by melting ice. Even large rocks are rafted out and then released as the ice melts.

—M. Grant Gross

2

: to travel along or across (a river or other body of water) on a raft

Although the writing is somewhat pedestrian, river rats will enjoy the 27 accounts … of rafting rivers in 11 Western states.

—Tom Miller

3

: to make into a raft

rafted the logs

intransitive verb

: to travel by raft

rafted across moderate rapids

raftable

ˈraf-tə-bəl 

adjective

raftable white water

Examples of raft in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Guncay was rafting with classmates as part of an annual class trip to the Poconos. —Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 28 May 2026

Slovenia’s natural beauty is a major draw for both residents and travelers, with many spending their time hiking alpine trails, cycling through the countryside, or rafting along emerald-green rivers. —Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2026

Go deep with Oars and spend four or six days camping and rafting on Class III–IV rapids on the Colorado River through Cataract Canyon. —Matt Bell, AFAR Media, 19 May 2026

Water levels were low, and rafting companies had been going out of business. —Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing raft

• life raft

Rhymes for raft

• aft
• chaffed
• craft
• daft
• draft
• draught
• graft
• graphed
• haft
• kraft
• laughed
• shaft

Kids Definition

raft

1 of 3 noun

ˈraft 

: a flat structure (as a group of logs fastened together) for support or transportation on water

raft

2 of 3 verb

: to transport or move on or by means of a raft

raft

3 of 3 noun

: a large amount or number

Etymology

Middle English rafte "rafter, raft"; of Norse origin

probably an altered form of earlier raff "jumble"