vessel

noun

ˈve-səl How to pronounce vessel (audio)
Definition of vesselnext
1
as in ship
a large craft for travel by water a new ocean liner that claims to be the largest commercial vessel afloat

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2
as in boat
a small buoyant structure for travel on water any vessel that is buoyant and steerable can be entered in the annual race down the river

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3
as in bowl
a usually circular utensil for holding something (as food) uses a large copper vessel for beating egg whites

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4
as in container
something into which a liquid or smaller objects can be put for storage or transportation any watertight vessel can be used for mixing the paints

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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 vessel Regent’s versatile vessel can fly at up to 290 kilometers per hour (180 miles per hour), roughly nine times the speed of a standard passenger ferry, with a 290-kilometer range. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026 Rooted in feminism and unfolding against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, the works consider flesh and the human body with brutal honesty, viewing them as vessels for trauma, mortality, and political autonomy. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Elsewhere onboard, the new vessel has accommodations for either 12 or 14 guests across six or seven cabins, depending on the configuration, with room for 18 crew. — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026 The new vessels will be among the largest in the Maersk fleet, as the carrier prior to the order had not followed competitors in the jump to ultra-large container vessels with a capacity of 24,000 TEUs. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vessel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vessel
  1. ship
  2. boat
  3. bowl
  4. container
  5. yacht
Noun
  • Iran continued its campaign of striking ships trying to use the Strait of Hormuz, with four droned in the last 24 hours.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While the Botanical Bliss ships compressed like all mattresses-in-a-box, setting it up required a bit more effort than expected.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of ship
Noun
  • The most recent, in 2023, was yachting company Cantiere del Pardo, founded in 1973 and specializing in sailing boats.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The exercise took place in the northern Cretan Sea and brought together a wide range of Greek naval assets, air platforms and Israeli missile boats to demonstrate operational readiness and strengthen interoperability between the two navies.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of boat
Noun
  • The Cardinal play their next three games on the road and must win at least one to have a chance at going to a bowl game for the first time since 2018.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The hunter-gatherer concept known for paleo bowls, nachos and its vegan queso serves bar-and-grill basics in a healthier form.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of bowl
Noun
  • In the city of Hurricane in far southwestern Utah, a shipping container drifting down a street gave way Friday to a mess of mud and debris to be cleaned up as people who had evacuated earlier in the week returned home.
    — MEAD GRUVER, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Shipping containers go to four or five distribution centers in North America, which sort the goods into store groups.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of container
Noun
  • DiFuria described a billionaire family that went from feeling guilty about their spending to owning yachts and planes and moving to an area where other billionaires live.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Four Seasons, Aman and Orient Express are among the brands bringing luxury hospitality to yacht-style vessels.
    — Contessa Brewer,Ryan Ruggiero, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of yacht

Browse Nearby Words

vespers
vessel
vessels
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Cite this Entry

“Vessel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vessel. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vessel

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vessel

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