variants
or British coastguard
plural coast guards
1
US
the Coast Guard or Brit the Coastguard : an organization that has the job of guarding the area along a country's coast and helping people, boats, and ships that are in danger on the sea
Note: The U.S. Coast Guard is a military organization.
—often used before another nounCoast Guard officials
2
British
: a member of the Coastguard
Cite this Entry
“Coast guard.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/coast%20guard. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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