National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationJames JoyceP. G. WodehouseSkiing
Examples of ocean in a Sentence
Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024
Jeffrey Velasco with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said a call came in around 5:20 p.m. of a plane crashing into the ocean not far from Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024
Among those tempted to brave the depths of the ocean are two members of a fractious and disunited crime family – notably an uncle who both looked after his nephew and led him astray.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024
The balloons carry batteries and electronics that reach the stratosphere and then burst from the pressure before falling back to earth or into the ocean, where the equipment sinks with little chance of being recovered.
—Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024
Plus, its Southern-style porch overlooking the ocean and the property’s butterfly garden give it an extra boost of romanticism.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 14 Apr. 2024
However, just about anyone with physical and mental disabilities can still explore the ocean through diving – and reap its healing benefits.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
The island is part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a Pacific nation between the Philippines and Hawaii that is made up of more than 600 islands scattered across about 2.5 million square kilometers of ocean.
—Brad Lendon, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
To commemorate the 140-year anniversary of the sinking of the SS Tasman, three divers jumped off a boat and into the waves, then made their way down to the ocean floor.
—Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ocean.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English occean "the sea flowing around the land mass of the known world," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin Ōceanus, borrowed from Greek Ōkeanós, probably of pre-Greek substratal origin
Note: Preserved variants of Greek Ōkeanós, as Ōgḗn, Ōgenós, Ōgēnós, may indicate that the velar stop, whatever its original voicing, was palatalized (hence *ūkʸān-?)—strongly suggesting non-Indo-European origin. Old attempts to find an Indo-European origin (as a comparison with Sanskrit ā-śayāna- "lying on") are unconvincing.
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing ocean
Dictionary Entries Near ocean
Cite this Entry
“Ocean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocean. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
ocean
noun
More from Merriam-Webster on ocean
Nglish: Translation of ocean for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of ocean for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ocean
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