seaman

noun

ˈsē-mən How to pronounce seaman (audio)
Definition of seamannext
as in sailor
one who operates or navigates a seagoing vessel a weathered old seaman who now captains a tour boat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of seaman Their drama is already stale, and between Nathan’s touchiness and Joe’s mistreatment of women, their fight over who is a better guy, a better seaman, a better worker, a better boyfriend is disengaging at best and aggravating at worst. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 June 2026 But what the New Yorker writer left behind is some of the finest prose of the 20th century, focusing primarily on the eccentrics, scalawags, seamen, and other denizens of New York’s dank corners. — Air Mail, 2 May 2026 Inspired by Portugal’s traditional and contemporary flavors, Baleia also pays respect to the country’s seamen—generations of fishers, sailors and whalers—who traveled the globe and returned with culinary influence, especially from North Africa, China and the Caribbean. — Jillian Dara, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 On the Black Council side, half-sister Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) continues to plot for the crown from Dragonstone with support of loyal son Jacaerys Velaryon (Collett) and in league by with master seaman Lord Corlys Velaryon (Toussaint). — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for seaman
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seaman
  1. sailor
  2. mariner
  3. navigator
Noun
  • The black-and-white snapshots of sailors hoisting lines on deck look similar to the modern scenes still playing out today.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • There may not be quite as many small-time sailors in the harbor this time, owing to the rigidity that has become inevitable since the 9/11 attacks, but plenty of weekend captains will make their way here.
    — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 30 June 2026
Definition of sailor
Noun
  • To protect these specialized mariners, pilot boats evolved into highly stable, heavy-duty vessels.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026
  • Shortly after the vessel was struck, the United Nations' International Maritime Organization paused an effort to evacuate hundreds of ships and thousands of mariners who were stranded in the Persian Gulf.
    — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Definition of mariner
Noun
  • Troutman said nonurgent calls redirected to the nurse navigators will result in cost savings for Arlington.
    — Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026
  • Employers should consider assigning a dedicated benefits navigator, someone who won't give legal or financial advice but will help the employee find relevant benefits, understand deadlines and know which professionals to call.
    — Christine Michel Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of navigator

Browse Nearby Words

sea-maids
seaman
seamed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seaman.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seaman. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on seaman

Nglish: Translation of seaman for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about seaman

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All