as in banks
a place where a body of water (as a sea or river) is shallow
the shoals off Nantucket Island are famous as the final resting places of many ill-fated ships
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Recent Examples of shoals
As the southern Gulf Stream clashes with the northern Labrador Current, the rough waters steer sailors toward shallow shoals and ultimate disaster.
—
Brian Higgins, Outside, 2 Mar. 2026
Under the cover of night on July 30, 1949, the Amethyst quenched all its lights on board and shadowed a passing Chinese merchant ship, the Kiangling Liberation, following it through the tricky shoals of the river.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
The little sluiceways through the shoals were only a few inches deep, so the coontail moss was also that much closer to the surface.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Waters off the point are treacherous, including colliding currents, shoals and sandbars.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 22 Jan. 2026
The debris appears as a large cloud of dirty water seen beyond the shoals off Montego Bay.
—Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Parrotfish, angelfish, and thick shoals of bluestripe snappers colored the reef.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2025
The shoals attract diving gannets and orcas.
—David Greig
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Also of note is the Landsford Canal State Park in May or June, when the riverside is covered in rocky shoals spider lilies.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Brian Higgins, Outside, 2 Mar. 2026
Under the cover of night on July 30, 1949, the Amethyst quenched all its lights on board and shadowed a passing Chinese merchant ship, the Kiangling Liberation, following it through the tricky shoals of the river.
—Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026
The little sluiceways through the shoals were only a few inches deep, so the coontail moss was also that much closer to the surface.
—Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Waters off the point are treacherous, including colliding currents, shoals and sandbars.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 22 Jan. 2026
The debris appears as a large cloud of dirty water seen beyond the shoals off Montego Bay.
—Avery Schmitz, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Parrotfish, angelfish, and thick shoals of bluestripe snappers colored the reef.
—Betsy Andrews, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Oct. 2025
The shoals attract diving gannets and orcas.
—David Greig
september 15, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Also of note is the Landsford Canal State Park in May or June, when the riverside is covered in rocky shoals spider lilies.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoals
Noun
-
Musk also requested that the banks advertise on X, though this request was reportedly less of an emphasis.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Given its massive size, SpaceX is in talks with at least 21 banks to sell the securities to investors, Reuters reported.—
The Los Angeles Times,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
By the early summer, most of the bass have finished spawning in the shallows and have now pushed back to deeper water to find their summer haunts.—
Derek Horner,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Winter through spring draws anglers who cast from ladders in the shallows to reach deep drop-offs.—
Ted Alvarez,
Outside,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoals. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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