watercraft

noun

wa·​ter·​craft ˈwȯ-tər-ˌkraft 

ˈwä-

1

: skill in aquatic activities (such as managing boats)

2

a

: ship, boat

b

: craft for water transport

Synonyms

• boat
• bottom
• craft
• vessel

Examples of watercraft in a Sentence

just about any kind of watercraft can be seen on the lake during the summer

Recent Examples on the Web

Beyond that, the guidance is similar to what would apply on any beach vacation: never swim alone, watch out for watercraft, beware of sharks. —Eve Chen, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025

Some less gory options: Battleship Cove, which houses five historic U.S. naval ships and other watercraft, and the Children's Museum. —Steph Solis, Axios, 24 Mar. 2025

Coast Guard crew members along with San Diego lifeguards and San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel searched more than 52 hours for the man, using helicopters, boats, personal watercraft and surfboards to cover nearly a 460-square-mile area. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025

Paddlers must wear a personal flotation device and bring their own watercraft and whistle. —Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for watercraft

• allograft
• autograft
• autographed
• countershaft
• handicraft
• homograft
• hovercraft
• lithographed
• overdraft
• photographed
• rotorcraft
• telegraphed

Kids Definition

watercraft

noun

wa·​ter·​craft -ˌkraft 

: craft for water transportation