noun
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a boat, propelled by oars or a motor, used for rescuing people at sea, escaping from a sinking ship, etc
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informal a fund set up by the dealers in a market to rescue any member who may become insolvent as a result of a collapse in market prices
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lifeboat
Explanation
A lifeboat is a small boat that's kept on a bigger ship in case of emergency. It’s much more fun than a deathboat. Large ships usually have enough lifeboats for every passenger on board. Hear that, Titanic? When the giant ship Titanic sank, there weren’t enough lifeboats for everyone. If you’re on a ship that’s going down, a lifeboat (one word) could save your life. Some lifeboats are made of hard materials like fiberglass, while others are inflatable. Another kind of lifeboat is launched from shore or a Coast Guard ship to rescue people who need help at sea, if, for example, they're on a sinking fishing boat.
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.
See Examples For:
A lifeboat was launched at 03:22 BST, with an inshore lifeboat also launched.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
But under Steinem’s editorship, which lasted until the sale of the magazine in 1987, it became both a beacon and a lifeboat for many contemporary women—a centerpiece of feminism’s second wave.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
"We spotted life buoys and a lifeboat but it was empty. Unfortunately, no survivors have been found so far," he said, indicating that search and rescue operations were ongoing.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
"Life-saving equipment, including a lifeboat belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu which had 10 crew members on board, has been found at sea. Unfortunately, the crew members were not inside," it said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
He gripped the side of the lifeboat, struggling to pull himself up.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
As a result, Border Force and the coastguard opted to bring the group ashore at Eastney Landing in Portsmouth, with lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight assisting in the operation.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
He said he had not seen any lifeboats aboard the ferry.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
They lower themselves into one of the few lifeboats, leaving Jim on deck: Should he flee like a rat or wake the sleeping passengers, knowing that they, and he, cannot survive?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
Here are some of our favorite lifeboats during a year of rough seas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
“It is a lifeboat drill. All the passengers report to the open deck and stand by the lifeboats to be counted.”
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
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.
