boatlift

American  

[boht-lift] / ˈboʊtˌlɪft /

noun

1. an operation in which large numbers of people or vast quantities of supplies are transported by ships or boats in an emergency.

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Etymology

Origin of boatlift

boat + lift, perhaps modeled on airlift

Example Sentences

The U.S. is wary of the prospect of a humanitarian crisis on the island, which risks fueling a U.S.-bound exodus, as happened with the Mariel boatlift in 1980.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Another formative experience was watching protesters target colonial buildings during the turmoil of the Mariel boatlift, a massive migration of Cubans to Florida in 1980.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2023

In 1980, more than 100,000 Cubans arrived there as part of the Mariel boatlift.

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2023

Cubans replaced Venezuelans as the second-largest nationality after Mexicans, extending the biggest flight from the Caribbean island to the United States since the Mariel boatlift in 1980.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 14, 2022

When Nunez saw the migrant vessel from his dock, it brought back memories of his own journey to the U.S. from Cuba in 1980, as part of the Mariel boatlift.

From Washington Post • Apr. 9, 2022