coast

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The land next to or bordering the sea.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a coast' or 'the coast'. Often used with 'the' when referring to a specific area.

   Patterns

   • the coast
   • along the coast
   • on the coast

   We spent our vacation on the coast, enjoying the sea breeze.

   The road follows the coast for miles, offering stunning views.

   Many small villages are dotted along the coast.

2. 2verbintransitive

   To move or proceed without much effort, especially by relying on existing momentum or advantage.

   Grammar: No object; often used with 'along', 'through', or 'on'.

   Patterns

   • coast along
   • coast through something
   • coast on something

   He coasted through the final exam without studying much.

   The team coasted to victory after scoring early.

   She coasted on her reputation for years.

Word forms

Common combinations

along the coast

We drove along the coast to admire the ocean.

on the coast

The hotel is located on the coast, just steps from the beach.

coast to coast

They traveled coast to coast across the country.

coast through

He coasted through the course without much effort.

Synonyms and how they differ

shore

Shore can refer to the edge of any large body of water, including lakes and rivers, while coast specifically refers to the land next to the sea.

seaside

Seaside often refers to a place for holidays by the sea, while coast is a more general geographical term.

coastline

Coastline refers to the outline or shape of the coast, not the land itself.

Opposites

Word family

coastal adjective

Relating to the coast.

coaster noun

A ship that sails along the coast, or a small mat for a glass.

Commonly confused: coast or shore?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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