seamanship

noun

sea·​man·​ship ˈsē-mən-ˌship How to pronounce seamanship (audio)
: the art or skill of handling, working, and navigating a ship

Examples of seamanship in a Sentence

The captain shows great seamanship.
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.
Some tankers have been implicated in damage to key infrastructure – perhaps because of poor seamanship, but potentially owing to deliberate acts of sabotage. The Week Uk, TheWeek, 18 Jan. 2026 Insurance companies would love it if this was due purely to human error, but there's much more to the story than poor seamanship, though there's a depressing amount of that these days. New Atlas, 5 Jan. 2026 Before embarking, first-time sailors should consider a brief sailing course or reading up on basic seamanship. Hilary Tetenbaum, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024 Rodney recalls that Mitch showed more zeal than seamanship at the helm. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for seamanship

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seamanship was in 1756

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seamanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seamanship. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

seamanship

noun
sea·​man·​ship ˈsē-mən-ˌship How to pronounce seamanship (audio)
: the art or skill of handling, working, and navigating a ship

More from Merriam-Webster on seamanship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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