coastline

noun

coast·​line ˈkōs(t)-ˌlīn How to pronounce coastline (audio)
1
: a line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake
2
: the outline of a coast

Examples of coastline in a Sentence

The plane flew along the eastern coastline.
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.
With a double harbor set at the tip of a long and sinewy peninsula on a highly strategic coastline, Knidos grew rich from its favorable natural position and from trading wine, olive oil and vast quantities of amphorae. Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025 The state forecasts eroding coastlines will endanger $18 billion of existing homes and commercial buildings in the coming decades, and San Francisco officials have already decided to close part of one seaside highway rather than defend it. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 July 2025 The presence of the Howard O. Lorenzen—capable of collecting data on missile launches—near the Chinese coastline comes as the Pentagon warns of a growing missile threat posed by China to U.S. bases, allies, and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 July 2025 The storm was around 155 miles southwest of Zihuatanejo, on Mexico's Pacific coastline, on June 30 and is expected to pass off the Baja California Peninsula this week. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for coastline

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coastline was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coastline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coastline. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

coastline

noun
coast·​line ˈkōst-ˌlīn How to pronounce coastline (audio)
: the outline or shape of a coast
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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