shoal

¹ American  

[shohl] / ʃoʊl /

noun

1. a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow.

   The clams and mussels gathered from these shoals are the best you’ll ever find.

   Synonyms:

   ford, shallow(s)

2. a sandbank or sandbar in the bed of a body of water, especially one that is exposed above the surface of the water at low tide.

   Synonyms:

   reef

---

adjective

1. of little depth, as water; shallow.

   The first thing these newcomers do is buy a boat and promptly get stuck in the shoal waters, which they know nothing about.

verb (used without object)

1. to become shallow or more shallow.

   The river significantly shoals between the old stone bridge and the bend at Tuttle’s Crossing.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to become shallow.

   Shoaling the approach has effectively kept the larger vessels out of our small harbor.

2. Nautical. to sail so as to lessen the depth of (the water under a vessel).

shoal ² American  

[shohl] / ʃoʊl /

noun

1. any large number of persons or things.

2. a school of fish.

   a shoal of herring;

   a shoal of mackerel.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to collect in a shoal; throng.

shoal ¹ British  

/ ʃəʊl /

noun

1. a large group of certain aquatic animals, esp fish

2. a large group of people or things

---

verb

1. (intr) to collect together in such a group

shoal ² British  

/ ʃəʊl /

noun

1. a stretch of shallow water

2. a sandbank or rocky area in a stretch of water, esp one that is visible at low water

---

verb

1. to make or become shallow

2. (intr) nautical to sail into shallower water

adjective

1. a less common word for shallow

2. nautical (of the draught of a vessel) drawing little water

shoal Scientific  

/ shōl /

1. A submerged mound or ridge of sediment in a body of shallow water.

---

Other Word Forms

• shoaliness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of shoal¹

First recorded before 900; (for the adjective) Middle English shold(e), Old English sceald shallow; noun and verb derivative of the adjective

Origin of shoal²

First recorded in 1570–80; earlier shole, probably from Middle Dutch, Middle Low German schōle, with sound-substitution of sh- for Low German skh-; cf. school ²

Explanation

The noun shoal can be used to refer to a group of fish or an area of shallow water. So when you’re navigating a shoal in your row boat, you might look down and see a shoal of fish swimming out of the way. If you like to fish, you might know that shoal can refer to shallow water, but it can also describe a sandbank that you can only see when the water is low. Both kinds of shoals are problems if you’re trying to navigate in a boat — you have to try not to run aground when you encounter either one. The word also has a verb form that describes water that gets shallow: it shoals.

Example Sentences

“The claim that you cannot threaten an entity is beyond false,” said Shoal Creek parent Jenny Basinger while testifying on behalf of AB 237.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2025

A major motivator for both proposed bills was an incident involving Shoal Creek Elementary School in San Diego.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2025

Last month they agreed to allow the Philippines to restock the outpost in the Second Thomas Shoal with food, supplies and personnel.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2024

Korda has only two top 10s in the Women’s Open — a tie for 10th at Shoal Creek in 2018 and a tie for eighth at Pine Needles in 2022.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2024

The only reason East Shoal knew about the graffiti at all was because Hillpark’s main gym had been closed for several games while they cleaned the floor.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia

Related Words

• reef