sea wall

American  

noun

1. a strong wall or embankment to prevent the encroachments of the sea, serve as a breakwater, etc.

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sea wall British  

noun

1. a wall or embankment built to prevent encroachment or erosion by the sea or to serve as a breakwater

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Other Word Forms

• sea-walled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sea wall

before 1000; Middle English; Old English: cliff over the sea

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sea wall

Coastal development is a lightning rod in the Ocean State, yet no issue has animated locals like this sea wall.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

GWR said the sea wall at Dawlish would be inspected once the storm had passed.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026

He pointed out the newly elevated sea wall, which provided both a scenic walking path and a bulwark against coastal flooding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 2, 2026

They were among at least a dozen people watching swells from the sea wall.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2024

My mother was always afraid I’d fall off the sea wall, or tumble out of a tree, or cut myself with a pocketknife.

From "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor