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 Coast
: the Pacific coast of the U.S.
5
: the immediate area of view
—used in the phrase the coast is clear
see also:
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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 May 2026
By the time the Portuguese flanked the west African coast in the late 15th century, the banana plant had already been cultivated there for centuries.
—Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Heat shield faces test With the engine relight canceled, Starship spent much of the mission coasting quietly through space before beginning its return to Earth.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coast
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Noun
The backstory The property has been a long-standing fixture on Puerto Rico’s northeastern coast.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 May 2026
By the time the Portuguese flanked the west African coast in the late 15th century, the banana plant had already been cultivated there for centuries.
—Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
Verb
With the Brewers coasting to a 6-0 lead in the eighth inning, the 25-year-old struck out Alec Burleson and immediately launched into a series of WWE-style, D-Generation X crotch chops.
—Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2026
Heat shield faces test With the engine relight canceled, Starship spent much of the mission coasting quietly through space before beginning its return to Earth.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 23 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coast
Cite this Entry
“Coast.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coast. Accessed 31 May. 2026.
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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