vessel

noun ves·sel \ ˈve-səl \

|Updated on: 14 Jul 2018

Examples: vessel in a Sentence

1 a : a container (such as a cask, bottle, kettle, cup, or bowl) for holding something

b : a person into whom some quality (such as grace) is infused

a child of light, a true vessel of the Lord
—H. J. Laski

2 : a watercraft bigger than a rowboat; especially : ship 1

3 a : a tube or canal (such as an artery) in which a body fluid is contained and conveyed or circulated

b : a conducting tube in the xylem of a vascular plant formed by the fusion and loss of end walls of a series of cells

See vessel defined for English-language learners

See vessel defined for kids

Examples of vessel in a Sentence

a new ocean liner that claims to be the largest commercial vessel afloat
any vessel that is buoyant and steerable can be entered in the annual race down the river

Recent Examples of vessel from the Web

The 418-foot-long Columbia is the largest vessel in the fleet.

— alex demarban, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska ferry evacuated in Washington because of black smoke in thruster room," 29 June 2018
Despite the sensitivity of the task, this is not a Royal Navy vessel.

— The Economist, "Britain’s outsourcing model, copied around the world, is in trouble," 28 June 2018
Faye, our narrator, is an observational vessel for the lives of others, listening attentively as all manner of strangers, acquaintances, and friends eagerly divulge their life stories.

— jordan larson, The Cut, "Rachel Cusk’s Rules for Living," 25 June 2018
Dragon Trainors, with Caden Minehart and Addy Irwin aboard, was the fastest vessel.

— denys bucksten, chicagotribune.com, "Cardboard Regatta and 'Ninja' course make for a day of fun in Mundelein," 18 June 2018
But Carter, who was driving the McIver’s Ford Expedition when Tex shot her best friend in the back, may be the only vessel through which the estate can obtain a payout from the vehicle’s insurer, Chubb Insurance Companies.

— christian boone, ajc, "For Diane McIver’s estate, Dani Jo Carter may be path to big payout," 25 May 2018
Her character, a teen named Jo who is exploring gender identity, is clearly Cody’s favorite vessel.

— christopher muther, BostonGlobe.com, "A ‘Jagged Little Pill’ for these times," 25 May 2018
Floating off the shore of Red Hook, Brooklyn, this museum is a converted vessel: the 1914 Lehigh Valley Barge No.

— laurel graeber, New York Times, "8 Things to Do With Your Kids in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 17 May 2018
The Ping May is a huge vessel with 91,385 tons of cargo capacity, which is about the same as 20 million cats, assuming each cat weighs the average 10 pounds.

— salvador rizzo, Washington Post, "The kooky tale of ‘Cocaine Mitch’," 4 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vessel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.