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Synonyms

rowboat

American  
[roh-boht] / ˈroʊˌboʊt /

noun

  1. a small boat designed for rowing.

rowboat British  
/ ˈrəʊˌbəʊt /

noun

  1. Also called (in Britain and other countries): rowing boat.  a small boat propelled by one or more pairs of oars

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of rowboat

First recorded in 1530–40; row 2 + 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.

Behind, at some distance, is a rowboat with whalers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

They had me in the SS Mooch, which was a rinky-dink rowboat.

From Salon • May 18, 2024

Her husband, John Sonnichsen, had followed her in a rowboat.

From New York Times • Mar. 2, 2023

Located on the south end of Lake Union, the center offers free lectures, exhibitions, children’s activities and one-hour rowboat rentals.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2023

I’m sitting beside a rowboat in a foot of murky water.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

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.