Meaning & use

motorboat

noun·Everyday

A boat powered by an engine rather than by sails, oars, or paddles.

See it in a sentence

They rented a small motorboat to explore the coastline for the afternoon.

The motorboat's engine sputtered twice before finally roaring to life.

A note on using this word

Distinguished from a sailboat or rowboat by its reliance on an engine for propulsion.

Words with a similar meaning

powerboat

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

sailboat

Make it your own

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