freeboard
noun
free·board
ˈfrē-ˌbȯrd 
1
: the distance between the waterline and the main deck or weather deck of a ship or between the level of the water and the upper edge of the side of a small boat
2
: the height above the recorded high-water mark of a structure (such as a dam) associated with the water
Examples of freeboard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One problem was that DUKW’s low freeboard, a nautical term that describes the difference between the waterline and a vessel’s main deck.
—
Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 17 Jan. 2023
Only a few small inches of freeboard lay between the water and the top of my gunwales.
—Florence Williams, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2022
New Jersey and New York instituted two feet of freeboard after Superstorm Sandy.
—Alex Harris, sun-sentinel.com, 2 Dec. 2019
The Yamaha doesn't appear to have any flair up front to knock down spray, and at the bow the freeboard (the distance from the edge of the boat down to the deck) is minimal.
—Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2019
The present system is overdesigned for those surges, with earthen levees and concrete structures containing as much as 3 feet of extra storage space, or freeboard, to account for subsidence and sea level rise over their 50-year design life.
—Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 22 May 2018
And maybe a 1-foot freeboard isn't high enough, Berginnis said.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Or consider Nashville, Tennessee, which has a freeboard of 4 feet.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Much of Houston has a 1-foot freeboard, Berginnis said.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 17 Jan. 2023
Only a few small inches of freeboard lay between the water and the top of my gunwales.
—Florence Williams, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2022
New Jersey and New York instituted two feet of freeboard after Superstorm Sandy.
—Alex Harris, sun-sentinel.com, 2 Dec. 2019
The Yamaha doesn't appear to have any flair up front to knock down spray, and at the bow the freeboard (the distance from the edge of the boat down to the deck) is minimal.
—Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2019
The present system is overdesigned for those surges, with earthen levees and concrete structures containing as much as 3 feet of extra storage space, or freeboard, to account for subsidence and sea level rise over their 50-year design life.
—Mark Schleifstein, NOLA.com, 22 May 2018
And maybe a 1-foot freeboard isn't high enough, Berginnis said.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Or consider Nashville, Tennessee, which has a freeboard of 4 feet.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Much of Houston has a 1-foot freeboard, Berginnis said.
—Thom Patterson, CNN, 31 Aug. 2017
Dictionary Entries Near freeboard
Cite this Entry
“Freeboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeboard. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
freeboard
noun
free·board
ˈfrē-ˌbō(ə)rd
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: the distance between the waterline and the upper edge of the side of a ship or boat
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share