life raft

American  

noun

1. a raft, often inflatable, for use in emergencies, as when a ship must be abandoned or when a plane is downed at sea.

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life raft British  

noun

1. a raft for emergency use at sea

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Etymology

Origin of life raft

First recorded in 1810–20

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

life raft

Awaiting the landfall, we slept upstairs with a life raft, axes and an emergency weather radio, in case we had to escape through the roof.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

Rising Treasury yields have put pressure on yield-sensitive investments like utilities, real-estate investment trusts and home-builder stocks, while the market has fallen back on a familiar life raft: tech stocks.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 27, 2026

Paddles for the life raft so the Clippers can change directions and make better decisions — hopefully with better decision-makers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

What followed was an hours-long ordeal on a life raft, as the pilot and the passengers waited for rescuers to find them.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

“Oh yeah, and inventors of the life raft, the bullet proof vest, and residential solar heating? Women,” I say.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

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Related Words

• lifeboat
• rowboat
• skiff

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