as in bay
a part of a body of water that extends beyond the general shoreline
in his biography of Samuel Johnson, James Boswell tells of being conducted by a Scottish boatman "across one of the lochs, as they call them, or arms of the sea"
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 loch
Indeed, veterans of the whisky world understand that turbulence and challenging periods are part of the whisky cycle, most notably seen during the whisky loch of the 1980s when distilleries had to close due to oversupply and falling demand.
—
Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
That might include kayaking or hiking Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, searching for seals and birdlife on the uninhabited Brion Island, exploring the rugged beauty of Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, or sailing through the legendary lochs and canals of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
—Fran Golden, AFAR Media, 9 Apr. 2025
Adrian Shine, who has been researching the loch in Scotland since the 1970s, helped identify the camera as one of six lowered nearly 600 feet below the loch's surface by Roy Mackal, of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau and the University of Chicago.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
The team had a group task to accomplish, yes, but at every checkpoint, people had to make the decision to be selfish or selfless, and the selfish ones got rewarded while the selfless were left abandoned and miserable on the loch.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loch
Mark Littler, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
That might include kayaking or hiking Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, searching for seals and birdlife on the uninhabited Brion Island, exploring the rugged beauty of Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, or sailing through the legendary lochs and canals of the St. Lawrence Seaway.
—Fran Golden, AFAR Media, 9 Apr. 2025
Adrian Shine, who has been researching the loch in Scotland since the 1970s, helped identify the camera as one of six lowered nearly 600 feet below the loch's surface by Roy Mackal, of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau and the University of Chicago.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
The team had a group task to accomplish, yes, but at every checkpoint, people had to make the decision to be selfish or selfless, and the selfish ones got rewarded while the selfless were left abandoned and miserable on the loch.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for loch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loch
Noun
-
Shorebird is designed as an indoor-outdoor restaurant with slightly more seating on the patio where there are unobstructed bay views.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Through its Youth Sailing Foundation, MYC teaches classes and holds summer camp and after-school programs, with an emphasis on introducing inner-city kids to the bay.—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Flash rip currents are unpredictable, brief and affected by surf conditions, whereas a permanent rip is anchored to river estuaries or structures.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
-
Powerful tidal currents in bays, estuary entrances, narrow straits, and inlets from the sea turn underwater turbines that are connected to a generator to produce electricity.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Bleary-eyed coverage that kicks off before sunrise in the States, with gusts off the firth and cut lines that can swallow a top 10 in an hour.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
-
The school also placed firth in overall math growth at 89.70% and third overall in English/language arts growth at 86.60%. EStem Junior High School in East Village's math scores grew at a rate of 84.71%, ranking fourth among central Arkansas middle schools.—
Lena Miano,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Trails trace shorelines, revealing beautiful and craggy coves and harbor seals sunbathing on rocks.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
-
Like most beaches on this list, the waters are crystal clear, but what makes this coastline especially unique is its natural cove, which creates sheltered, shallow pools for swimming and exploring.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
27 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Loch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loch. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share