1
: the land near a shore : seashore
3
a
: a hill or slope suited to coasting
b
: a slide down a slope (as on a sled)
4
often Coast
: the Pacific coast of the U.S.
5
: the immediate area of view
—used in the phrase the coast is clear
see also:
coasted; coasting; coasts
1
obsolete
: to move along or past the side of : skirt
2
: to sail along the shore of
1
a
archaic
: to travel on land along a coast or along or past the side of something
b
: to sail along the shore
2
a
: to slide, run, or glide downhill by the force of gravity
b
: to move along without or as if without further application of propulsive power (as by momentum or gravity)
c
: to proceed easily without special application of effort or concern
coasted through school
—often used with ona company coasting on its good reputation
Examples of coast in a Sentence
Noun
He lives on the coast.
He's flying out to the Coast tomorrow.
Verb
The car coasted to a stop.
The airplane coasted down the runway.
The children coasted on sleds down the snowy hill.
They came coasting down the hill on bicycles.
After taking a big lead, the team coasted to victory.
He was accused of trying to coast through school.
She decided she could coast along without a job for the next few months.
The company is coasting on its good reputation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sarah Dean, NBC news, 12 June 2026
The backstory Playa Cativo is one of the only hotels along this quiet stretch of coast—and by far the most luxurious (the only other lodge nearby is a hostel popular with backpackers).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026
The first-of-its-kind journey is meant to make the trek from coast to coast much easier, Travel + Leisure reported.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for coast
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
American strikes destroyed what appears to be drinking water infrastructureon Iran’s southern coast early Wednesday, according to videos and pictures shared by Iranian media and geolocated by NBC News.
—Sarah Dean, NBC news, 12 June 2026
The backstory Playa Cativo is one of the only hotels along this quiet stretch of coast—and by far the most luxurious (the only other lodge nearby is a hostel popular with backpackers).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026
Verb
Settling the score, meanwhile, is Randy Newman, whose fourth Pixar collaboration ambles along agreeably, accompanied by drivin’ tunes performed by Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow and Brad Paisley that are perfect for coasting along those alternate routes.
—Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2026
The first-of-its-kind journey is meant to make the trek from coast to coast much easier, Travel + Leisure reported.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for coast
Cite this Entry
“Coast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coast. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coast
2 of 2 verb1
: to sail along the shore of
2
a
: to slide downhill by the force of gravity
b
: to move along (as on a bicycle when not pedaling) without applying power
3
: to succeed without special effort
coasted through school
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