boats 1 of 2

noun

plural of boat
1
as in vessels
a small buoyant structure for travel on water paddling the little boat across the lake is great exercise, but tiring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in ships
a large craft for travel by water you'll have to take a passenger boat to get to the island

Synonyms & Similar Words

boats

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of boat
as in sails
to travel on water in a vessel boated to the picnic site on an island in the bay

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of boats
Noun
In the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz, a waterfront once busy with boats, trucks and workers has fallen quiet. — ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026 This will set the tone for the season Both MU and KU are in similar boats, albeit not the same one. — Pj Green september 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026 Migration remains one of the most heated political issues in Britain, despite the number of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats falling to its lowest level since 2020, according to the Home Office. — Kara Fox, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 The rip currents and massive surf are capable of capsizing small boats, knocking people off jetties and pulling swimmers out to sea. — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026 The Fox River has a nighttime speed limit of 25 mph, but boats can go as fast as their drivers will push them during the day. — Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 Multiple boats and at least one helicopter were used during the effort. — Nicholas Lentz, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026 The team designed miniature boats with three cavities tuned to different audible frequencies, enabling them to steer the boat in a particular direction by changing the frequency of the sound waves from a speaker. — ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026 The design introduced major changes to the forward section of the submarine, including a Large Aperture Bow sonar array and two Virginia Payload Tubes replacing the 12 individual vertical-launch tubes used on earlier boats. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Down at the lake, boats just off the shore slowed to listen while swimmers took in the music from floaties. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026 Shrimp boats bob in the harbor, American flags flutter from pastel porches and old oak trees draped in Spanish moss offer cool shade. — Noreen Kompanik, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 Kennebunkport, Maine Lobster boats bob in the waves and beachcombers search for shells. — Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boats
  1. vessels
  2. ships
  3. sails
  4. yachts
  5. ferries
  6. canoes
  7. crafts
  8. rafts
Noun
  • Large passenger vessels require systems that can deliver high efficiency while providing precise manoeuvrability, reliability and low levels of noise and vibration.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Diesel prices in Lagos nearly doubled, fishing vessels in Maputo were left on the beach, and construction projects in Addis Ababa stalled, sending workers home.
    — Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of vessels
Noun
  • What sets Seabourn apart is that its smaller ships can visit ports of call less frequented by larger vessels.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Five vessels, including two navy ships, were deployed in the search operation, with personnel from the National Search and Rescue Agency, the military and the police involved.
    — Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of ships
Verb
  • Some of my favorites are coming back too, like El Pulpo Magnifico, Duane Flatmo's fire-breathing octopus, and the Monaco, a 40-foot ship with three masts that sails across dust instead of water.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Better yet, take a coastal cruise with Cape Ann Harbor Tours, which sails past six regional lighthouses.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sails
Noun
  • Windstar’s fleet has an array of options to fit any travel style, offering both sailing yachts and all-suite yachts across its Greece voyages.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Sirena Yachts made one mighty splash at Cannes this year, presenting one of the largest yachts of the show.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of yachts
Verb
  • The blockage of the strait, which normally ferries 20% of the world's oil, sent global energy prices soaring.
    — Kevin Breuninger,Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Iran has effectively halted trade traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime trade route that ferries roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of ferries
Noun
  • Before the arrival of Europeans, the Native tribes used these waters as highways for their dugout and birchbark canoes.
    — Robert Klose, Christian Science Monitor, 4 Sep. 2026
  • At the Shamrock’s beach, guests can borrow canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddleboards for some quality time on the water.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of canoes
Noun
  • With an emphasis on eco-friendly production, such as plastic-free packaging and recyclable metals, Corston crafts hardware worth investing in.
    — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Vendors and growers carry in their selections from different parts of the city and greater New England, making the lively market feel like a center for the region’s resurgence of artisan crafts and family farming.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of crafts
Noun
  • But there’s plenty to keep kids occupied here from pool toys and rafts to beachside games like jenga and bocce.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Some 680 rescuers eventually reached the Gyirong area by foot and via rafts.
    — Niranjan Shrestha, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of rafts

Browse Nearby Words

boatloads
boats
bob
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Cite this Entry

“Boats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boats. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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