shore

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   The land along the edge of a sea, lake, or other large body of water.

   Grammar: Countable; often used with 'on' or 'at' to show location.

   Patterns

   • on the shore
   • along the shore
   • the shore of a lake

   We walked along the shore and collected shells.

   The boat was pulled up onto the shore.

   They have a small house on the shore of Lake Michigan.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To support or strengthen something that is weak or likely to fail, often followed by 'up'.

   Grammar: Takes an object; often used with 'up' as a phrasal verb: shore up the economy.

   Patterns

   • shore up something
   • shore something up

   The government took steps to shore up the failing banks.

   He shored up the old wall with wooden beams.

   They needed more evidence to shore up their argument.

Word forms

Common combinations

on the shore

We spent the afternoon on the shore watching the waves.

along the shore

There is a path along the shore that leads to the lighthouse.

shore up

The company borrowed money to shore up its finances.

shore of a lake

The cabin sits on the shore of a quiet lake.

Synonyms and how they differ

coast

Coast refers to the land bordering the sea, often a larger region; shore is the edge of any large body of water and can be more specific.

beach

A beach is a sandy or pebbly shore; shore is a general word for the land at the water's edge.

bank

Bank is used for the sides of rivers and canals; shore is used for seas, lakes, and very large rivers.

Word family

shoreline noun

The line where the water meets the land.

offshore adjective

Located in the sea, away from the shore.

onshore adjective

Located on the land, near the shore.

Commonly confused: shore or sure?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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