oar
Americannoun
-
a long shaft with a broad blade at one end, used as a lever for rowing or otherwise propelling or steering a boat.
-
something resembling this or having a similar purpose.
-
a person who rows; oarsman.
verb (used with object)
-
to propel with or as if with oars; row.
-
to traverse or make (one's way) by, or as if by, rowing.
verb (used without object)
-
to row.
-
to move or advance as if by rowing.
idioms
-
rest on one's oars, to cease to make an effort; relax after exertion; stop working after success or completing a task.
Once he became president, he was content to rest on his oars.
-
put in one's oar, to meddle; interfere.
He put in his oar and was told to mind his own business.
noun
-
a long shaft of wood for propelling a boat by rowing, having a broad blade that is dipped into and pulled against the water. Oars were also used for steering certain kinds of ancient sailing boats
-
short for oarsman
-
to interfere or interrupt
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
oarsimple
-
oarssimple
-
have oaredperfect
-
has oaredperfect
-
am oaringprogressive
-
are oaringprogressive
-
is oaringprogressive
-
have been oaringperfect progressive
-
has been oaringperfect progressive
Past
-
oaredsimple
-
had oaredperfect
-
was oaringprogressive
-
were oaringprogressive
-
had been oaringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of oar
before 900; Middle English ore, Old English ār; cognate with Old Norse ār
Vocabulary lists containing oar
3-letter words, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Spelling Practice, Unit 8
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Spelling Practice 1, Unit 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It started flipping, and then I lost an oar and I knew I was in trouble," he recalled.
From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026
Slap the water with your paddle, oar or hand.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024
“The Boys in the Boat” is ultimately a tribute to a time long gone, to the power of teamwork, and to the grace with which an oar dips into the water on a sun-dappled lake.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 15, 2023
The performer in front — actually Woods himself, with dancer Tamzin O’Garro behind — is wielding the cello bow as an oar.
From New York Times • Nov. 20, 2022
Simultaneously, he pulled the oar toward his chest against the resistance of the water, throwing all the strength of his combined arm, back, and leg muscles into the stroke.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
