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
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
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Recent Examples of boats
Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Due to ice on the river, rescue boats were unable to access the patient.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
Multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats searched 1,047 square miles over 24 hours, finding debris near the location where the EPIRB was activated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft that had been deployed.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
One of these patrol boats was able to rescue 25 passengers, which consisted of seven men, 11 women, and 11 juveniles, the Coast Guard statement added.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Shooting for the series took place in Los Angeles, Milan, Cannes and Dubai, as well as at the company’s headquarters in Bottrop, Germany, where Brabus has developed and built high-end supercars, motorcycles and boats since 1977.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The Stena Imperative was approached by three pairs of small armed boats belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, approximately 16 nautical miles north of Oman's coast, the company said.
—CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Fishery observers are workers who collect data on board fishing boats for the government to use to inform regulations.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
There will be countless props, from barrels to boats to a shipwreck that has identifiers of both the Bruins and the Lightning.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
The elder Mundy learned to build ice boats as a teenager, growing up in Broad Channel, a small working-class neighborhood where ice boating was a longstanding community hobby.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Due to ice on the river, rescue boats were unable to access the patient.
—Matthew Cupelli, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2026
Multiple aircraft, cutters and small boats searched 1,047 square miles over 24 hours, finding debris near the location where the EPIRB was activated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft that had been deployed.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
One of these patrol boats was able to rescue 25 passengers, which consisted of seven men, 11 women, and 11 juveniles, the Coast Guard statement added.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 4 Feb. 2026
Shooting for the series took place in Los Angeles, Milan, Cannes and Dubai, as well as at the company’s headquarters in Bottrop, Germany, where Brabus has developed and built high-end supercars, motorcycles and boats since 1977.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
The Stena Imperative was approached by three pairs of small armed boats belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, approximately 16 nautical miles north of Oman's coast, the company said.
—CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Fishery observers are workers who collect data on board fishing boats for the government to use to inform regulations.
—Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026
There will be countless props, from barrels to boats to a shipwreck that has identifiers of both the Bruins and the Lightning.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
Noun
-
This has disrupted standing deployment plans, scrambled ships to sail thousands of miles and put increasing strain on vessels and equipment that are already facing mounting maintenance issues.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
-
These ingredients were ground and washed by hand, stored in ornate vessels and applied with slender sticks—often as part of an intimate, almost ceremonial process passed down through generations of women.—
Amelia Dhuga,
Vogue,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Italy would be allowed to prohibit migrant ships from entering Italian waters for up to 30 days, the Associated Press reported.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Feb. 2026
-
The Navy has had 11 ships, including the Ford and several amphibious assault ships with thousands of Marines, in South American waters for months.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The story is a post-apocalyptic tale in which a convict, played by Fischbach, sails an ocean of blood in a submarine in order to search for resources and discovers increasingly terrifying secrets.—
William Earl,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The Star Breeze sails year-round in French Polynesia, with voyages departing almost every week, according to the cruise line’s website.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Today, Aldo’s children, Francesco and Laura, continue to build aluminum yachts under the Tuxedo name.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The turquoise waters of the Caribbean are perfectly broken up by a Jackson Pollock-esque splattering of yachts, often of the mega variety.—
Molly Barstein,
Vogue,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The whippet-fast lift system got even more efficient this season with the introduction of the Explorer Gondola, the world’s speediest 10-person gondola that ferries skiers from base to peak on heated seats.—
Amy Tara Koch,
Robb Report,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In late November, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which ferries 80% of all Kazakh oil supplies from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea, said it had been attacked twice in four days.—
Vasco Cotovio,
CNN Money,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Amenities include public restrooms, a snack bar, and a beach concession that rents chairs, cabanas, canoes, and kayaks.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Over the coming years, a team of 57 scientists and local guides explored all the major rivers and tributaries of the Okavango Delta, traversing this vast landscape in dugout canoes, on motorbikes, on foot, and in armored vehicles.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The company is also experimenting with building 24- and 36-seater AirFish crafts, which can transport more passengers on each flight, Tan says.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And fire ants use their waxy, water-repellent coating and textured exoskeletons to trap air; during floods, thousands cling together to make buoyant, living rafts that can survive 12 days and possibly longer.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
3 Feb. 2026
-
They can be linked together to form rafts or floating platforms.—
Alex Knapp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Boats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boats. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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