boatload

noun

boat·​load ˈbōt-ˌlōd 

1

: a load that fills a boat

a boatload of passengers

2

: an indefinitely large number or amount

a boatload of criticism

a boatload of money

Synonyms

• abundance
• barrel
• basketful
• bucket
• bunch
• bundle
• bushel
• carload
• chunk
• deal
• dozen
• fistful
• gobs
• good deal
• heap
• hundred
• lashings [chiefly British]
• lashins
• loads
• lot
• mass
• mess
• mountain
• much
• multiplicity
• myriad
• oodles
• pack
• passel
• peck
• pile
• plateful
• plenitude
• plentitude
• plenty
• pot
• potful
• profusion
• quantity
• raft
• reams
• scads
• sheaf
• shipload
• sight
• slew
• spate
• stack
• store
• ton
• truckload
• volume
• wad
• wealth
• yard

Examples of boatload in a Sentence

a boatload of publicity for the new handheld devices

Recent Examples on the Web

In the last couple of weeks alone, a boatload of ancient bronzes was sent back to Turkey. —Brian T. Allen, National Review, 5 Oct. 2024

By Karl Vick October 29, 2024 11:10 AM EDT Deborah Lipstadt came to her job as U.S. Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism with a boatload of credentials and a lifetime of experience. —Karl Vick, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024

The main lesson of Outer Banks’ Season 4 premiere: A Pogue and his money are soon parted, especially when said Pogue has a boatload of insecurities and tends toward the impetuous. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2024

Every phone call brings a new boatload of doom, gloom and worries. —R. Eric Thomas, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing boatload

• by the boatload

Kids Definition

boatload

noun

boat·​load -ˌlōd 

1

: a load that fills a boat

2

: a large amount

a boatload of money