as in banks
a place where a body of water (as a sea or river) is shallow
the shoals off Nantucket Island are famous as the final resting places of many ill-fated ships
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 shoals
The shoals attract diving gannets and orcas.
—
David Greig
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Also of note is the Landsford Canal State Park in May or June, when the riverside is covered in rocky shoals spider lilies.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
David Greig
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Also of note is the Landsford Canal State Park in May or June, when the riverside is covered in rocky shoals spider lilies.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoals
Noun
-
The stock recently took a hit as credit-quality concerns weighed on global banks, but a strong quarterly report eased those worries.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Both legacy banks and startups have been trying to compete with firms like Moneygram or Western Union, which historically charged large remittance and currency-changing fees.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Nihi has 25 of Sumba’s beloved sandalwood horses, released from their stable once a day to run free through the shallows, stopping to roll around in the sand and nip at each other.—
Katie Lockhart,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Weather and tides play a role, too; strand feeding is most often seen during low to mid-tide, when the shallows make hunting easier.—
Alexandra Emanuelli,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shoals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoals. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share