dock 1 of 3

noun

ˈdäk How to pronounce dock (audio)
Definition of docknext
as in wharf
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers the boat remained tied up at the dock for a week, waiting for the weather to clear

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dock

2 of 3

verb (1)

1
as in to shorten
to make less in extent or duration the editorial was docked by about a hundred words to make it fit on the page

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2
as in to shave
to make (something) shorter or smaller with the use of a cutting instrument the boxer's tail was docked soon after birth

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dock

3 of 3

verb (2)

as in to land
to stop at or near a place along the shore the cruise ship docked at the first port of call early the next morning

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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 dock
Noun
Back in downtown Juneau, Huna Totem is developing Áak’w Landing, a cruise dock and waterfront development targeting its first full season in 2028. — Karen Gardiner, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026 In it, Mickey Mouse and the bombastic Donald Duck are standing on a dock, fishing. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
Uncertain future Villa Vie announced that the Odyssey was suspending operations while it was docked this week at the port of Sihanoukville in Cambodia. — Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 1 Nov. 2026 In the Tuscan port of Marina di Carrara, the six-deck, 465-foot superyacht Scheherazade is docked behind high walls to keep it both safe and hidden from curious onlookers. — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dock
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dock
  1. wharf
  2. shorten
  3. shave
  4. land
  5. pier
  6. cut back
  7. cut
  8. anchor
Noun
  • Newer signs taped to windows hope to stop the local wharf from becoming a corporate grain terminal.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Their transatlantic journey is slated to begin in Portsmouth, but once there Håkan loses sight of his brother in the crowds along the wharf.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of wharf
Verb
  • According to Ziata, washing arugula ahead of time will introduce unwanted moisture, which will increase the rate of spoilage or shorten the leafy green’s shelf life.
    — Molly Allen, Southern Living, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Nakase shortened her rotation after Game 3, while also swapping out multiple players in her starting lineup.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of shorten
Verb
  • Those with a SacRT ticket or digital pass can get $2 shaved off their rink ticket fee.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • For pretty chocolate curls, warm a bar of milk chocolate in your pocket or hand, then shave with a sharp vegetable peeler.
    — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of shave
Verb
  • The command link subsequently failed, and the drone drifted approximately 630 meters over a populated area before landing in a tree.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The studio fussiness is why Fagen’s music would later go in and out of style—when raw sounds are in fashion, people tend to point out where his band’s singles landed on the Easy Listening charts.
    — Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of land
Noun
  • Walk alongside giant ornaments, snowflakes, and sleigh light displays dotting the pier, and get creative with free community craft workshops including edible snowmen, pinecone woodland creatures, paper bag puppets, and more.
    — Allison Yates, Midwest Living, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Predicting wave power Eco Wave Power already uses floating devices attached to piers and breakwaters to generate electricity from ocean waves.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of pier
Verb
  • The latest cash injection from Aramco will help fuel investment plans at a time when many of the PIF’s ambitions are being cut back, there’s a greater focus on getting funding from other investors, and returns are falling.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Texas and other states have cut back on the number and location of polling places, especially in areas favoring Democrats.
    — Jen Fifield, ProPublica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of cut back
Verb
  • Jovany Barragan’s second field goal — a 35-yarder on an untimed down — cut Serra’s deficit to 21-6 at halftime.
    — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The verdict came just three days after regulators seized Ueno Bank, cutting nearly 3 million customers off from their savings and bank cards and setting off a political crisis.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • The contest to represent the northwestern Ohio district anchored by Toledo was considered by the Cook Political Report to be a toss-up before the election prognosticator changed its rating to Leans Democrat a week before Election Day.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Trump endorsed Collins for the Republican nomination in a state where the president anchored his false claims that his 2020 defeat was rigged.
    — Bill Barrow, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of anchor

Browse Nearby Words

docility
dock
docked
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Cite this Entry

“Dock.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dock. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dock

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