gunboat

noun

gun·​boat ˈgən-ˌbōt How to pronounce gunboat (audio)
: an armed ship of shallow draft

Examples of gunboat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Instead of being described as a ransom payment, the debt and the French king’s gunboat extortion were framed as emancipating the slaves who, after defeating the world’s most powerful army, declared the new nation of Haiti on Jan. 1, 1804. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025 The American Declaration of Independence and Constitution frightened monarchies and despots around the world without a single bullet or gunboat. Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025 In other words, in this law, Congress explicitly set a ceiling — but not a floor — on how much Jefferson could spend on gunboats. Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 18 Feb. 2025 The result was standoffs between fishing boats and Icelandic gunboats, and even the intervention of the British Royal Navy. Bradley J. Cardinale, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gunboat

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gunboat was in 1777

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Cite this Entry

“Gunboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gunboat. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

gunboat

noun
gun·​boat ˈgən-ˌbōt How to pronounce gunboat (audio)
: a small lightly armed ship for use in shallow waters

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