Coast Guard

American

noun

U.S. Military. a military service under the Department of Transportation, which in peacetime enforces maritime laws, saves lives and property at sea, and maintains aids to navigation, and which in wartime may be placed under the Navy Department to augment the navy.
(lowercase) any similar organization for aiding navigation, preventing smuggling, etc.
Also called coastguardsman. (lowercase) a member of any such organization.

Etymology

Origin of Coast Guard

First recorded in 1825–35

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 bill would provide funding for the TSA, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among other agencies.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Coast Guard and Secret Service operations have also been affected by the shutdown.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

TSA, the Coast Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will all receive funding from this bill.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

The US Coast Guard said the helicopter crash-landed about 100 yards off Kalalau beach.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

But it was the Coast Guard that was best primed to detect so-called clandestine communication, or spy talk.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023