oarsmen

noun

plural of oarsman
as in rowers
a person who drives a boat forward by means of oars the only oarsman in a rowboat designed for two

Synonyms & Similar 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 oarsmen Nonetheless, killing such huge creatures was exceptionally risky—and not just for the oarsmen and harpooners in the boats. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026 There’s no keel, so the skilled oarsmen work hard to steer them with each stroke. — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026 In Outbound, 2023, oarsmen paddle a boat out to sea, escorted by sinister seagulls. — James Meyer, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oarsmen
rowers
Noun
  • Among a sea of rowers afterwards was Crown Prince Haakon, heir to Norway’s throne.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • Allow somebody to bring their family in here, row, watch the rowers row at sunset.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of rowers

Browse Nearby Words

oarsman
oarsmen
oarswoman
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oarsmen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oarsmen. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

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

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
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
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All