coast

SayKOHST/koʊst/UK/kəʊst/

Pluralcoasts

Verbcoasts, coasting, coasted

11 meanings of coast

Practice

1
by the seanouncountable
The land right next to a sea, ocean, or big lake.
Like the line where the dry land ends and the water begins.
We spent the whole day walking along the coast.
Big storms often hit the coast in winter.
UsageA town is on the coast. An island in the sea near it is off the coast.
Similarshore, coastline, seaboard, seashore, shoreline
Oppositeinterior
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2
glideverbintransitive
To keep moving forward without using power, after you stop pushing or pedaling.
Like a ball that keeps rolling after you stop pushing it.
The car began to coast as we neared the bottom of the hill.
She let her bike coast down the quiet street.
UsageUsually with a word that says where: coast down the hill, coast to a stop.
Similarglide, freewheel, roll, drift
Note
3
pass easilyverbintransitive
To win or pass something with very little hard work.
She coasted through her math class without studying much.
Our team can't just coast to a win this time.
UsageOften coast to a win, or coast through school.
Similarcruise, sail, breeze
Oppositestruggle
Note

Less common meanings

4
slack offverbfigurativelyintransitive
To do just enough to get by, without really trying.
Like rolling downhill instead of pedaling hard.
After his raise, Tom just coasted at work and stopped trying new things.
You can't just coast. You have to put in real work.
UsagePeople coast on talent or luck. Saying someone is coasting is a mild criticism.
Similardrift, idle, slack, loaf
Oppositestrive, hustle
5
sail near landverbintransitive
To sail a boat along the edge of the land instead of out on the open sea.
Like walking along a fence instead of cutting across the field.
The small ship coasted south for three days.
Early sailors preferred to coast rather than cross open water.
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6
slide on snowverbdialectalUSintransitive
To slide down a snowy or icy hill, often on a sled.
Like riding a playground slide, but down a hill of snow.
The children love to coast down the big hill after it snows.
We coasted on our sleds until it got dark.
Similarsled, slide, toboggan, sledge
Note
7
districtnounobsolete
An area of land, such as a region or a country.
P. Crescentius, in his lib. 1 de agric. cap. 5, is very copious in this subject, how a house should be wholesomely sited, in a good coast, good air, wind, etc.
1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of MelancholyHere, coast means an area or region of land.
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8
nounobsolete
The outer side or edge of an object.
And the Coaſt towards which the lines KL and VX are drawn, may be call’d the Coaſt of unuſual Refraction.
1730, Isaac Newton, OpticksHere, coast means a side or edge of an object.
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9
nounobsolete
An area or part of the sky or heavens.
Note
10
verbobsoleteintransitive
To come close to something or stay beside it.
Anon she hears them chant it lustily, / And all in haste she coasteth to the cry.
1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and AdonisHere, coasteth means comes near or moves close to something.
The 25. day of the same moneth we fell with the Cape Cantin , vpon the coast of Barbarie , and coasting along , the 27. day we found an Island called Mogado
1589, Richard Hakluyt, The Principall NavigationsHere, coasting means moving along close beside the land.
Note
11
verbobsoletetransitive
To go along beside someone on a shore or riverbank, keeping them company.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of coast apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 7–9

It comes from Latin costa, meaning "rib" or "side," which passed through Old French coste and Middle English coste before becoming "coast."

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Coast derives from Latin costa through Old French coste and Middle English coste. en.wiktionary.org
Latin costa means rib or side. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2–6, 10–11

It comes from Latin costa, "rib" or "side," through Old French coste and the verb costoier, meaning "to be at the side of."