inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

a

: a bay or recess in the shore of a sea, lake, or river

also : creek

b

: a narrow water passage between peninsulas or through a barrier island leading to a bay or lagoon

2

: a way of entering

especially : an opening for intake

Synonyms

• bay
• estuary
• cove

Examples of inlet in a Sentence

The coast is dotted with tiny inlets.

went fishing in the quiet inlets of the coast

Recent Examples on the Web

Mountains rise suddenly and everywhere, reflected perfectly in the still fjords and inlets beneath, as if replicating the Game of Thrones intro. —Phil Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 15 July 2025

And of course, if cross ventilation is structurally impossible in your home, try to introduce as many inlets and outlets of air as possible to promote frequent air circulation. —Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2025

New braking inlets and outlets were also brought for cooling. —Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025

In 2024, Enterprise Products grew its natural gas processing inlet volumes by 10% YoY, total equivalent pipeline volumes by 6% YoY, NGL fractionation volumes 3% YoY, and marine terminal volumes by 6% YoY. —David Trainer, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from its letting water in

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for inlet

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet 

-lət

1

: a small or narrow bay

2

: an opening for intake especially of fluids

Medical Definition

inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet, -lət 

: the upper opening of a bodily cavity

especially : that of the cavity of the true pelvis bounded by the pelvic brim