steamboat

noun

steam·​boat ˈstēm-ˌbōt How to pronounce steamboat (audio)
: a boat driven by steam power
specifically : a shallow-draft vessel used on inland waterways

Examples of steamboat in a Sentence

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.
Visitors to Cincinnati’s riverfront will have one foot in 2025 and the other in 1875, getting a taste of what the Queen City was like during the heyday of the steamboat era. Jeff Suess, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Oct. 2025 But Doug and Griff are deadset on remaking the film from the 1990s, and put together a hilarious premise of not only dressing like characters from the original film, but also renting a steamboat similar to the one in the film. James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025 It is set on the fictional Winthrop Island in New England, and features a disgruntled daughter and her famous mother who are connected to a young woman on a steamboat from 200 years in the past. Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2025 The exhibit will feature 100 years of historic and Opry-related artifacts, including the following clothing and instruments: A wooden steamboat whistle used by the Opry's founder and longtime announcer, George D. Hay. Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for steamboat

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of steamboat was in 1785

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Steamboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steamboat. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

steamboat

noun
steam·​boat ˈstēm-ˌbōt How to pronounce steamboat (audio)
: a boat driven by steam

More from Merriam-Webster on steamboat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!