as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
in his biography of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell tells of being conducted by a Scottish boatman "across one of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the sea"
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of loch
Curling is a game of tradition, first played centuries ago on Scottish lochs, where players slide heavy granite rocks down a sheet of ice toward a target.
—
Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
While an exact date can’t be pinpointed, according to the World Curling Federation, the sport was played during its early stages on frozen lochs and ponds in northern Europe.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Created by sculptor Andy Scott, the kelpies — shape-shifting mythical creatures from Scottish folklore that live in the country's famous lochs — were completed in 2013.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
In the first mission, Kelce got to spend time helping her team paddle a boat across a beautiful Scottish loch.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for loch
Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026
While an exact date can’t be pinpointed, according to the World Curling Federation, the sport was played during its early stages on frozen lochs and ponds in northern Europe.
—Ben Morse, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Created by sculptor Andy Scott, the kelpies — shape-shifting mythical creatures from Scottish folklore that live in the country's famous lochs — were completed in 2013.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
In the first mission, Kelce got to spend time helping her team paddle a boat across a beautiful Scottish loch.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for loch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loch
Noun
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To keep weeds at bay, spread sterile straw between rows.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
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Its sweeping bay, all shifting sands and improbable light with views of the Lakeland Fells beyond, is the real draw, particularly at sunset when the sky seems to double in scale.—
Rob Crossan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Biscayne Bay, the state of Florida's largest estuary, is an important habitat for various species of plants and wildlife.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
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This park is located on the rolling hills of northern Contra Costa County, offering impressive views of giant ships and tugboats in the Carquinez Strait, part of the tidal estuary of the Sacramento and the San Joaquin rivers.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Bleary-eyed coverage that kicks off before sunrise in the States, with gusts off the firth and cut lines that can swallow a top 10 in an hour.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
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On the distant horizon was a cluster of faint street lights, a small town hunkered on the far side of the firth.—
Douglas Stuart,
The New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2020
Noun
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The Calabria some outside Italy do already know is the Costa degli Dei, or Coast of the Gods, a 34-mile stretch of Tyrrhenian shore from Pizzo to Nicotera (think of it as the knuckle on the Calabrian toe), where long white beaches alternate with impervious cliffs and rocky coves.—
Lee Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 May 2026
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The infestation spread across an acre of their cove, officials confirmed on the state’s algae reporting site, NC Fish Kill & Algal Bloom Reports.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Loch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loch. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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