coral reef

noun

Definition of coral reefnext
as in barrier reef

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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 coral reef From Key Largo to Key West, the Overseas Highway strings the islands together like beads, running past lighthouses, underwater coral reef parks, and across the postcard-worthy Seven Mile Bridge. — Sarah Rose, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2026 Turquoise green lagoon for a kilometer and then the sea of deep blue shade beyond the coral reef. — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026 Research also suggests that some chemical sunscreen ingredients may damage marine life, such as coral reefs. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 25 May 2026 The 38-year-old man had been spearfishing with friends when he was attacked on a coral reef off Rottnest Island near Australia's southwest coast, Western Australia Police Sergeant Michael Wear said. — CBS News, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for coral reef
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coral reef
barrier reef
Noun
  • The country packs a lot into a relatively small footprint, from ancient Maya ruins to world-class diving along the world’s second-largest barrier reef.
    — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026
  • Just offshore lies the Mesoamerican Reef, the largest barrier reef system in the Western Hemisphere and the second-largest in the world, an extremely vulnerable ecosystem.
    — Natalie Leticia Gallón, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of barrier reef

Browse Nearby Words

coracles
coral reef
coral reefs
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Cite this Entry

“Coral reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coral%20reef. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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