ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to convey (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another : transport
b
: to fly (an airplane) from the factory or other shipping point to a designated delivery point or from one base to another
: to cross water in a boat
plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are carried across a body of water (such as a river) in a boat
2
3
: a franchise or right to operate a ferry service across a body of water
4
: an organized service and route for flying airplanes especially across a sea or continent for delivery to the user
Examples of ferry in a Sentence
Verb
The cars were ferried across the river.
They ferry supplies to the island.
Noun
Ferries to both islands depart daily.
You can get there by ferry.
We'll meet you at the ferry.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
At Rafah, Jolie met with members of the humanitarian aid nonprofit Red Crescent and with truck drivers responsible for ferrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.
—CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
Heema Patel, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Earth that has been fighting against pollution from ferries that operate in British Columbia.
—Marcia Simon, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferry
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Verb
Hollywood, suddenly an entertainment powerhouse, was turning a parade of young women into stars; radio stations such as CBS and NBC—along with a new generation of mass-media outlets, including The Saturday Evening Post—could now ferry stories of scandal across America.
—Michael Waters, New Yorker, 3 Jan. 2026
At Rafah, Jolie met with members of the humanitarian aid nonprofit Red Crescent and with truck drivers responsible for ferrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.
—CBS News, 2 Jan. 2026
Noun
The Peanut Island Shuttle Boat and Sailfish Marina Resort both run daily ferries that take about 10 minutes across the inlet, with schedules posted online.
—Heema Patel, Travel + Leisure, 4 Jan. 2026
Earth that has been fighting against pollution from ferries that operate in British Columbia.
—Marcia Simon, Hartford Courant, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ferry
Cite this Entry
“Ferry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferry. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ferry
1 of 2 verb
fer·ry
ˈfer-ē 
ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to carry (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another
b
: to deliver (an airplane) by flying it to its destination
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