ashore

Meanings

1. 1adverb

   Onto or on land, after being on water or a ship.

   Grammar: Used with verbs of movement or position, such as go, come, swim, be, stay; it does not take an object.

   Patterns

   • go ashore
   • come ashore
   • swim ashore
   • be ashore

   The sailors were glad to go ashore after three weeks at sea.

   We rowed the boat toward the beach and pulled it ashore.

   A whale came ashore near the fishing village last night.

2. 2adverb

   On land rather than on a ship or on the water.

   Grammar: Often used after be or stay to describe where someone is: the captain stayed ashore.

   Patterns

   • stay ashore
   • remain ashore
   • be ashore

   The captain stayed ashore while the crew repaired the ship.

   Many of the islanders have never been ashore on the mainland.

Common combinations

go ashore

Passengers may go ashore after the ship docks.

come ashore

The turtle came ashore to lay its eggs.

wash ashore

Debris from the storm washed ashore on the beach.

put ashore

The rescue boat put the survivors ashore at the harbor.

stay ashore

He decided to stay ashore and find work in the port.

Synonyms and how they differ

on land

A general phrase for being on solid ground; ashore is more specific to coming from the water or a ship.

landward

Means toward the land; ashore means onto the land, often from a boat.

Opposites

Word family

shore noun

The land along the edge of a sea or lake.

seashore noun

The land beside the sea.

Commonly confused: ashore or a shore?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “ashore”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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