wharves

variants also wharfs
Definition of wharvesnext
plural of wharf
as in docks
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers tied the rowboat up at the wharf

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 wharves The infrastructure humans build in the water ‒ houses, piers, wharves, jetties, and even oil rigs ‒ create new habitats for juvenile jellyfish, called polyps, to attach and grow, Bologna said. N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025 Maybe wind your way around the neighborhood’s old wharfs and small brick houses; or lock up your bike and check out an exhibition at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition, then grab lunch at the kitschy crab shack Brooklyn Crab. Francesca Carington, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Jan. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wharves
Noun
  • Several boat docks, businesses, and other structures suffered damage from heavy snow.
    Helen Graham, NBC news, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The nearly 30,000-square-foot warehouse features six loading docks, large storage areas throughout the facility and twice the amount of cooler space than previously available for refrigerated products.
    Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The piers of an unfinished, elevated toll road, the Skyway, ran down the center of one of the streets, Gregorio Araneta Avenue, which also happened to be the home of Manila’s new boom industry, a mile-and-a-half-long strip of funeral homes, florists, and crematoria.
    Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • New fishing piers, a boat ramp, a spur trail connection, shelters and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant features will complement the segment of the 26-mile trail, with construction starting as soon as late spring 2026.
    Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • According to Vantor, the image shows the construction of a dry dock and new quays and piers at one of China’s most strategically important bases.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 8 Dec. 2025
  • Seaports will have nearby seabed dredged and quays constructed to accommodate naval and transport vessels.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wharves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wharves. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on wharves

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!