onshore

American  

[on-shawr, -shohr, awn-] / ˈɒnˈʃɔr, -ˈʃoʊr, ˈɔn- /

adverb

1. onto or in the direction of the shore from a body of water.

   a breeze blowing onshore.

2. in or on a body of water, close to or parallel with the shore.

   to sail a boat onshore.

3. on land, especially within the area adjoining a port; ashore.

   to land and shop onshore.

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adjective

1. moving or proceeding toward shore or onto land from a body of water.

   an onshore breeze.

2. located on or close to the shore.

   an onshore lighthouse; an onshore buoy.

3. done or taking place on land.

   onshore liberty for the crew.

verb (used with or without object)

1. reshore.

onshore British  

/ ˈɒnˈʃɔː /

adjective

1. towards the land

   an onshore gale

2. on land; not at sea

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Other Word Forms

• onshoring noun

Etymology

Origin of onshore

First recorded in 1500–75; on + shore ¹

Explanation

Use the adjective onshore to describe something that's headed toward the coast from the sea, or that's located on dry land. An onshore wind blows in from the ocean. An onshore breeze is wonderful on a hot summer day, especially if you can spend that day on the beach. If you're on a boat, a strong onshore wind is something to be concerned about, since it will tend to blow your boat toward the land. The oil industry uses onshore to distinguish between oil rigs and wells that are in the ocean and those that are on the land, or onshore.

Example Sentences

The Labour run-government in Cardiff Bay called its new sector deal a "strategic partnership" with the industry "accelerating renewable deployment across onshore and offshore, wind, solar, marine and hydro".

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Sable had resumed production at one of its three offshore oil platforms last May, but was unable to transport the oil through the onshore pipelines due to ongoing legal and regulatory blocks.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

TotalEnergies said the conflict hasn’t affected its onshore production in the UAE.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Iran’s oil fields are located largely onshore in the country’s southwest and offshore in the northern Persian Gulf.

From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026

Although the cold was sudden and the snow had fallen thick and mysterious overnight, the water of the lake was still open just past a skim of delicate ice onshore.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich

Related Words

• ashore