coastlines

noun

plural of coastline
as in coasts
the land adjacent to a body of water The state has mainly rocky coastline and few beaches. The plane flew along the eastern coastline.

Related Words

Relevance

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 coastlines The department advised Americans near affected coastlines to move to higher ground and warned that strong currents and unpredictable surges could occur. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 The northernmost part of the Japanese region is home to untouched reefs, while southern coastlines have been hugely impacted by development. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 Forecasters say Isaias could become a hurricane by Thursday and make landfall late Friday or early Saturday somewhere along the Alabama-Mississippi-Florida coastlines before moving north. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 That’s raising sea levels along already vulnerable coastlines. — Justine Calma, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026 The state’s coastlines have been inundated with high surf for much of the summer, leading to severe erosion at some of the state’s most popular beaches. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 And our coastlines and water systems continue to face serious threats that demand even greater attention and action. — Mercury News & East Bay Times Editorial Boards, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2026 In the Northeast, visitors discover a corridor where centuries of history, untamed coastlines, and cosmopolitan energy intertwine. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026 All three coastlines tell the same story, which has been millions of years in the writing. — Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coastlines
  1. coasts
  2. shores
  3. beaches
Noun
  • Say ciao to the Roman Coast With so many coasts, coves and fishing villages to choose from in Italy, the Roman coast is not often the first place people mention for a beach holiday.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • Beach Hazards Statements remain in effect for the Oregon north, central, and southern coasts, as well as the south Washington coast.
    — Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Definition of coasts
Noun
  • The shores of Clearwater Beach are packed block-to-block with resorts booked up by eager beachgoers, but the JW Marriott might just be the one to convince you to hang around a little bit longer before launching into Clearwater’s ombré coast.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Coastal flooding will remain the biggest concern for the region in the coming days, particularly for south-facing shores, given the combination of high tides, a higher-than-typical water level and the arriving tropical storm.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of shores
Noun
  • Baywatch is, of course, the globally recognizable show about lifeguards patrolling the beaches of LA and Hawaii, which three decades ago made heroes of its stars and creators.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • While the Amalfi Coast’s dirty little secret is its lack of beaches (which become jam-packed come high season), Borgo Santandrea comes with a fabulous private one—and a chic beach club for its guests.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of beaches

Browse Nearby Words

coastline
coastlines
coasts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coastlines.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coastlines. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of abscond

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All