plural boats
1
a
: a small vessel for travel on water
b
: ship
2
: a boat-shaped container, utensil, or device
a gravy boat
a laboratory boat
3
informal
: a large car
A lot of people still think Cadillac makes big floaty boats.—
Mark LaNeve
Mark LaNevesee also in the same boat
boated; boating; boats
: to place in or bring into a boat
: to go by boat
Examples of boat in a Sentence
Noun
He tied the boat to the dock.
Cruise ships and other boats filled the harbor.
traveling by boat across the ocean
Verb
We boated over to the island.
boated to the picnic site on an island in the bay
Recent Examples on the Web
Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
One blueprint for aura farming comes courtesy of a viral video of a boy dancing nonchalantly on a race boat.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
Currently, two island communities north of Miami Beach are trying to tamp down the noise offshore from a boating party that drifted their way after the dredging of the nearby Haulover Sandbar several years ago.
—Douglas Hanks, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for boat
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Noun
These boats have the vertical launch system (VLS), which could be used to fire new high-speed anti-ship missiles displayed at China’s Victory Day parade in Beijing last fall.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
One blueprint for aura farming comes courtesy of a viral video of a boy dancing nonchalantly on a race boat.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Verb
The Abaco islands, meanwhile, are known for their charming towns and many fishing, sailing, and boating opportunities.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
Currently, two island communities north of Miami Beach are trying to tamp down the noise offshore from a boating party that drifted their way after the dredging of the nearby Haulover Sandbar several years ago.
—Douglas Hanks, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for boat
Cite this Entry
“Boat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boat. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
boat
1 of 2 noun1
: a small vessel for travel on water
3
: a boat-shaped utensil
gravy boat
boat
2 of 2 verb1
: to put into or carry in a boat
2
: to travel by boat
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