water line
noun
the part of the outside of a ship's hull that is just at the water level.
waterline
-
a variation of
water line.
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.
The draft is the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest point of a ship's hull.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
Upon sailing into the harbor, they realized the frigate was too damaged to sail, so rather than leave it in enemy hands, they burned it to the waterline.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
Equipment mounted below the waterline of a boat emits a fan‑shaped beam of sound waves ahead of the craft.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
The initial flood is a spectacle, but it’s the climbing waterline that lets this independent cat know it can’t keep counting on reaching higher ground.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024
Cut into the vessel’s hull at the waterline, for the first time in history they allowed a warship to fire broadsides at an enemy.
From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler
