coastal
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of coastal
Explanation
Coastal things are near the ocean. If you like spending time at the beach, you might take a trip to a sunny, coastal vacation spot. Be sure to pack your swimsuit! You might read phrases like "coastal waters" or "coastal erosion" in an environmental science textbook. The coast is the land that borders an ocean or sea, and the adjective coastal describes things that affect the coast or are located there. Before it meant "edge of the land," coast referred to a body part—specifically, the rib or "flank."
Vocabulary lists containing coastal
The United States
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South America - Middle School
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Canada - Introductory
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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.
The company says it will need permits from a list of agencies, including the California Coastal Commission, the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
Coastal homeowners are trading in breezy blues and sandy neutrals for a darker, moody palette.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Flemish-Artois Coastal Environmental Defense Assembly, an environmental group known as ADELFA, challenged the decision in November last year, arguing the permit should be withdrawn because the facility violated local planning rules.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
He also pledged to eliminate laws and environmental regulators often blamed for slowing housing development: the California Environmental Quality Act, the California Coastal Commission and the state Air Resources Board.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
“Well, if things get really rough, you could take your dogs next door. The Coastal Animal Shelter. I’m sure they have emergency contingency plans.”
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
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.
