as in rower
a person who drives a boat forward by means of oars
"All oars ho!" the boatswain ordered
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oar
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Long metal rods doubled as swords, oars and crutches — used as both an artistic instrument and a tool to help actors with amputations keep balance.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Caroline Van Hemert, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Mute swans do put on bursts of speed by oaring with their huge webbed feet.
—National Geographic, 19 Oct. 2016
See All Example Sentences for oar
Noun
Once the media sticks its oar in, the real reason for the robbery emerges by degrees.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 31 Mar. 2026
Long metal rods doubled as swords, oars and crutches — used as both an artistic instrument and a tool to help actors with amputations keep balance.
—ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Verb
For centuries, Vikings navigated these waters by sail and oar; today, ferries and charter boats offer comfortable, scenic access to the islands.
—Caroline Van Hemert, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Mute swans do put on bursts of speed by oaring with their huge webbed feet.
—National Geographic, 19 Oct. 2016
See All Example Sentences for oar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oar
Noun
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The Olympic rower Liam Corrigan shared last year that his supplement stack included 11 different vitamins, minerals, medications, and corticosteroids.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
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Along Kelly Drive, runners, bikers and rowers are enduring record-breaking temperatures.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Ericeira Ready to paddle out with some of Portugal's coolest surfers?—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2026
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Today, the village is separated from the mainland by about 660 yards of shimmering turquoise water where fishermen paddle on homemade rafts.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Verb
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From the beginning, the Chinese survivors were maligned by the press, even though Fang helped row the lifeboat and transport people to safety, the BBC reported.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
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Guardiola also rowed back on several of his initial plans, which included attack-minded left-back Aleksandar Kolarov as a centre-back, asking City’s existing full-backs to tuck into central midfield, and leaving out Yaya Toure completely.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Visitors tend to kayak around the caves, visiting some of the sandy beaches and 21 islands scattered in the area.—
Matt Bell,
AFAR Media,
19 May 2026
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Plan to kayak the aqua waters with Ecology Outfitters or rent a pontoon from Elkhart Watersports.—
Katy Spratte Joyce,
Midwest Living,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Play golf, kayak or canoe the Sheboygan River, or luxuriate in the spa, which specializes in hydrotherapy.—
Jennifer Kester,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
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Outdoor lovers will enjoy canoeing, fishing, kayaking, hydro-biking, and swimming, while there are also courts set up for badminton, bocce ball, croquet, ladder golf, tennis, and even yard dice.—
Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oar. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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