often attributive
1
: the land bordering a usually large body of water
specifically
: coast
2
: a boundary (as of a country) or an area within a boundary
—usually used in plural
immigrated to these shores
3
: land as distinguished from the sea
shipboard and shore duty
: a prop for preventing sinking or sagging
shored; shoring
Examples of shore in a Sentence
Noun (2)
the carpenter placed a shore underneath the sagging roof of the porch
Verb
a highway tunnel shored up by massive columns of concrete
used an avalanche of statistics to shore up his claim that the state's economy is in fine shape
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
And on these foreign shores, these sacred parcels remained central to the spiritual traditions that Black people developed for over 400 years.
—Essence, 29 Oct. 2025
Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
What’s happening to the site Since that time, the city issued a permit for a contractor to install roof support structures, known as shoring, to minimize the risk of the roof’s collapse.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shore
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Noun
The nets are meant to deter sharks from reaching the shore of the region's most popular bathing spots.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
And on these foreign shores, these sacred parcels remained central to the spiritual traditions that Black people developed for over 400 years.
—Essence, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
Some have tried to re-shore their suppliers or manufacturing but found local options lacking.
—Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
What’s happening to the site Since that time, the city issued a permit for a contractor to install roof support structures, known as shoring, to minimize the risk of the roof’s collapse.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shore
Cite this Entry
“Shore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shore. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shore
1 of 3 noun
ˈshō(ə)r 
ˈshȯ(ə)r
: the land along the edge of a body of water (as the sea)
shore
2 of 3 verb
shored; shoring
: to support with one or more bracing timbers
shore up a house foundation
shore
3 of 3 noun
: a prop or support placed under or against something to support it
Etymology
Noun
Middle English shore "the land on the edge of a body of water"
Verb
Middle English shoren "to support, brace"
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