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
The view is equally entrancing in the evenings, when the water is cast in shades of gold and the sails of felucca boats trace a timeless scene on the horizon. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026 The boats are expected to operate alongside the Swedish Navy’s existing CB90 NG fleet, adding autonomous and remotely operated capabilities to its existing fast assault craft operations. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026 As for the yachts, Rogers registered two boats in Maryland (32 feet and 39 feet, respectively) and sold one before registering the other. — CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 The seawater pump used for cooling in boats was removed, and a stock Toyota cooling system was plumbed in. — Stephen Edelstein, The Drive, 31 Oct. 2026 Anyone can try to make a buck using her image, but the only way to get to Liberty Island and nearby Ellis Island is on the boats of Statue City Cruises, under contract with the National Park Service. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Oct. 2026 The boat show, starts today and runs for five days, will exhibit more than 1,300 boats from small vessels to large, expensive yachts. — Robert Frank, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 The most recent, in 2023, was yachting company Cantiere del Pardo, founded in 1973 and specializing in sailing boats. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 Law described the dramatic operation to save lives along a remote route frequented by migrant smuggling boats. — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 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
  • Iran reported three additional attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, while data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) indicated that attacks on vessels were continuing at a near-record rate.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Christened Hanaa, the Evo 31 is a compact explorer designed to offer the space, comfort, and luxury typically associated with larger vessels.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of vessels
Noun
  • Unreliable Internet access and declining food quality pushed many residents to leave the ships.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Illinois records indicate that Kostyuk also incorporated Ovogene in 2021, and Ark Cryo — which ships frozen eggs, embryos, and other biomaterials internationally via human courier — in 2020.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of ships
Verb
  • Silver Cloud primarily sails the Arctic and Antarctica, with more exploratory itineraries in-between, like in the Middle East or Africa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of sails
Noun
  • The growth in the size and number of yachts has created a shortage of yacht slips.
    — Robert Frank, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The world’s wealthiest are finding new ways to deploy their fortunes beyond luxury cars and yachts—and the latest craze is soccer.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Nov. 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
  • Boat ramps in the park can be used as access points for canoes and kayaks, but the wind can whip across Lake Hart west of the park and Lake Mary Jane to the east.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2026
  • During past El Niño seasons, residents have been known to swap their cars for canoes and paddleboards to get around the peninsula after storms and high tides.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of canoes
Noun
  • The property has a Kids’ Zone with arts, crafts, and games, as well as a slopeside outdoor pool with two giant hot tubs.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Attendees are encouraged to bring books or crafts to stay occupied throughout the evening.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of crafts
Noun
  • That is, rafts of interior backstory and description that don’t obviously serve the plot.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Some customers paddled by on rafts and boards, above what used to be the boardwalk.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 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 8 Nov. 2026.

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