loch

noun

ˈläk How to pronounce loch (audio)
Definition of lochnext
Scottish
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"

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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 loch First there’s the outdoor activities on offer—from paddle boarding on the loch to mountain biking in the surrounding forest to golf. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026 Located on the shores of Loch Linnhe, one of 31,000 freshwater lochs in Scotland, Fort William sits in the shadow of Ben Nevis, at 4,490 feet the highest peak in Britain. — Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026 Curling is a game of tradition, first played centuries ago on Scottish lochs, where players slide heavy granite rocks down a sheet of ice toward a target. — Pien Huang, NPR, 11 Feb. 2026 While an exact date can’t be pinpointed, according to the World Curling Federation, the sport was played during its early stages on frozen lochs and ponds in northern Europe. — Ben Morse, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for loch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for loch
  1. bay
  2. estuary
  3. firth
  4. cove
Noun
  • Toto’s Bar and Bacchus Restaurant are agreeable places for drinks and meals, with grandstand views of all the yachting action in the bay.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In the area between the church and the bay, which is separate from the city park, trucks serve food and coffee.
    — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of bay
Noun
  • At these levels, Mosquito Lagoon will no longer be an estuary but be our new ocean beach.
    — Jay Reddick, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Peter’s family boarded the vessel for an eight-mile trip down the estuary to the George III Hotel when the tide pushed it into a bridge and sent all 42 passengers into the water, the outlet reported.
    — Adam England, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of estuary
Noun
  • After playing one more hole, the twelfth, along the firth, the course makes a turn inland for the duration of the round.
    — Mike Fore, Forbes.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • 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
Definition of firth
Noun
  • One of my non-negotiable recommendations is Tonnara di Scopello, another historic tuna fishery turned into a tiny museum and protected cove.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The Spain property sits above two of the northern Costa Brava’s quieter coves, the deep water of Platja Fonda directly below and the turquoise bay of Aiguablava just beyond, with a private gate opening onto the sand.
    — Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cove

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loch
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Cite this Entry

“Loch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/loch. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on loch

Nglish: Translation of loch for Spanish Speakers

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