VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

boat gunwale

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈbəʊt ɡʌnl/
US/ˈboʊt ɡʌnl/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    The top edge of the side of a boat, where the hull meets the deck or where oars rest.

    Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural 'gunwales' when referring to both sides. The 'w' is silent, so it sounds like 'gunnel'.

    Patterns

    • the gunwale of a boat
    • along the gunwale
    • to the gunwales

    He sat on the boat gunwale and dangled his feet over the water.

    The oars rested neatly along the boat gunwale.

    Water splashed over the boat gunwale as we rowed through the waves.

  2. nouncountable

    The upper edge of the side of a boat, considered as a whole structure.

    Grammar: Often used in the plural 'gunwales' to mean the entire top edge on both sides.

    Patterns

    • the gunwales of a boat
    • grab the gunwales
    • over the gunwales

    She gripped the gunwales tightly as the boat rocked.

    The gunwales were worn smooth from years of use.

    He leaned over the gunwales to pull in the fishing net.

  3. nounfixed phrasefigurative

    Used in the phrase 'to the gunwales' meaning completely full, especially of a boat or container.

    Grammar: Always used in the plural with 'to the': 'to the gunwales'. It is an idiom.

    Patterns

    • full to the gunwales
    • packed to the gunwales

    The boat was loaded to the gunwales with supplies.

    The theater was packed to the gunwales for the opening night.

    After the harvest, the barn was full to the gunwales with grain.

Word forms

pluralboat gunwales

Common combinations

boat gunwale
The boat gunwale was damaged in the storm.
gunwale of a boat
He painted the gunwale of a boat bright blue.
along the gunwale
They tied the rope along the gunwale.
to the gunwales
The basket was filled to the gunwales with apples.
over the gunwale
He threw the fish over the gunwale.

Synonyms and how they differ

rim
A rim is the outer edge of any circular or curved object; a gunwale is specifically the top edge of a boat's side.
edge
Edge is a general word for the boundary of a surface; gunwale is the precise nautical term.

Word family

gunwale noun
The same as boat gunwale, often used alone.

Commonly confused: boat gunwale or gunnel?

boat gunwale vs gunnel

Gunnel is a variant spelling of gunwale, but it also refers to a type of fish. In boating contexts, both spellings are accepted.

Practice

Which sentence uses 'boat gunwale' correctly?

Make it your own

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

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words