shoreline

noun

shore·​line ˈshȯr-ˌlīn How to pronounce shoreline (audio)
Synonyms of shorelinenext
1
: the line where a body of water and the shore meet
2
: the strip of land along the shoreline

Examples of shoreline in a Sentence

The road runs along the shoreline.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The mysterious glade is actually likely a piece of land that broke off from the reservoir’s shoreline as a result of record-high water levels this year. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 2 Sep. 2026 Two days after the sale, The Agency announced the deal on Instagram, calling it a new record for the Bratenahl shoreline. — Bryan West, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The incident happened in the afternoon at South Beach in Edgartown, Massachusetts, along one of the island’s most popular shorelines. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The Sheriff’s Office patrols the Chain, with 6,000 acres and 15 lakes that are interconnected navigable waterways, along with the county portion of the Fox River and 26 miles of the Lake Michigan shoreline. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shoreline

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shoreline was in 1852

Rhymes for shoreline

See All Rhymes for shoreline

Browse Nearby Words

shoreless
shoreline
Shoreline
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shoreline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shoreline. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

shoreline

noun
shore·​line -ˌlīn How to pronounce shoreline (audio)
: the line where a body of water touches the shore

Geographical Definition

Shoreline

geographical name

Shore·​line ˈshȯr-ˌlīn How to pronounce Shoreline (audio)
city in west central Washington on Puget Sound north of Seattle

More from Merriam-Webster on shoreline

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shoreline

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All