seaway
Americannoun
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a way over the sea.
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the open sea.
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the progress of a ship through the waves.
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a more or less rough sea.
a hard vessel to steer in a seaway.
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a canal, enlarged river, etc., giving access to a landlocked port by oceangoing vessels.
noun
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a waterway giving access to an inland port, navigable by ocean-going ships
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a vessel's progress
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a rough or heavy sea
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a route across the sea
Etymology
Origin of seaway
before 1000; Middle English seewey, Old English sǣweg. See sea, way 1
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.
As freshwater input grew, the seaway gradually changed from salty to brackish and eventually to mostly freshwater, similar to conditions seen today in the Gulf of Bothnia.
From Science Daily • Dec. 15, 2025
A vast seaway with swift currents separated North and South America, and most animals were unable to cross -- with a few notable exceptions.
From Science Daily • May 28, 2024
The accident, in which 27 people including a 7-year-old girl died, is the worst on record involving migrants in the narrow seaway separating France and Britain.
From Reuters • Nov. 9, 2023
The strike shut down 13 locks on the seaway between Lake Erie and Montreal, bottling up ships in the Great Lakes and preventing more ships from coming in.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2023
The bucket ladder is fitted with buffer springs at its upper end to lessen the shock when working in a seaway.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 8, Slice 7 "Drama" to "Dublin" by Various
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.
