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.
This week, hundreds of brown pelicans, California gulls and sandpipers rested along the shoreline as waves rolled in. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 Many have traveled for the horses that live at Nihi Sumba—the ultra-luxurious hotel settled at the shoreline on this wildly untamed Indonesian island—but never in this particular way. — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026 Michigan State Police have identified a man whose body was found along the Lake Huron shoreline in November 2025. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026 Sykes and his best friend were caught in a rip current at the notoriously dangerous stretch of shoreline. — ABC News, 12 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 14 Aug. 2026.

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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 population 53,007

More from Merriam-Webster on shoreline

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shoreline

Nglish: Translation of shoreline for Spanish Speakers

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