1
: the land near a shore : seashore
3
a
: a hill or slope suited to coasting
b
: a slide down a slope (as on a sled)
4
often capitalized
: the Pacific coast of the U.S.
5
: the immediate area of view
—used in the phrase the coast is clear
coasted; coasting; coasts
1
obsolete
: to move along or past the side of : skirt
2
: to sail along the shore of
1
a
archaic
: to travel on land along a coast or along or past the side of something
b
: to sail along the shore
2
a
: to slide, run, or glide downhill by the force of gravity
b
: to move along without or as if without further application of propulsive power (as by momentum or gravity)
c
: to proceed easily without special application of effort or concern
coasted through school
—often used with ona company coasting on its good reputation
Examples of coast in a Sentence
Noun
He lives on the coast.
He's flying out to the Coast tomorrow.
Verb
The car coasted to a stop.
The airplane coasted down the runway.
The children coasted on sleds down the snowy hill.
They came coasting down the hill on bicycles.
After taking a big lead, the team coasted to victory.
He was accused of trying to coast through school.
She decided she could coast along without a job for the next few months.
The company is coasting on its good reputation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
In fact, each of the three sea spider species collected for the study were from different areas off the coast of Southern California and Alaska — a clue that the populations are highly localized.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 15 June 2025
Celebrity brands are often about luxury, prestige, or authenticity; products like cosmetics and liquors coast off fun and superficialities.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for coast
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Noun
Weather led to a scrub of the Aug. 3 attempt, but SpaceX was able to launch despite Tropical Storm Debby churning off Florida’s southwest coast.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025
In fact, each of the three sea spider species collected for the study were from different areas off the coast of Southern California and Alaska — a clue that the populations are highly localized.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Verb
From that point forward, the Clippers coasted to history.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 15 June 2025
Celebrity brands are often about luxury, prestige, or authenticity; products like cosmetics and liquors coast off fun and superficialities.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for coast
Cite this Entry
“Coast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coast. Accessed 28 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coast
2 of 2 verb1
: to sail along the shore of
2
a
: to slide downhill by the force of gravity
b
: to move along (as on a bicycle when not pedaling) without applying power
3
: to succeed without special effort
coasted through school
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