plural oceans
often attributive
1
a
: the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
The ocean covers most of our planet, regulates our weather and climate, absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, provides most of our oxygen, and feeds much of the human population.—
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
b
: any of the large bodies of water into which the great ocean is divided
the oceans of the world
2
: a very large or unlimited quantity or expanse
Could have made oceans of money.—James Joyce
James JoyceHe would have oceans of time for his ride.—P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. WodehouseJutting from an ocean of prairie, they [the Sangre de Cristo mountains] run north-south like an iguana spine …—Skiing
Skiing
Examples of ocean in a Sentence
We've sailed across hundreds of miles of ocean.
the Pacific and Indian oceans
Recent Examples on the Web
In the depths of the ocean where little light penetrates, Reid suspects colossal squid are ambush hunters that wait patiently for prey to wander within reach, then use their long arms to stuff their catches into their beaks.
—Evert Lindquist, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2024
Park in the free lot at Rotunda Drive and follow the paved Lakeview Trail toward the ocean.
—Laura Randall, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
Most notably, El Niño helped push both air and ocean temperatures to record levels globally.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 June 2024
Dining near the Mystic River or at the seaport itself provides a charming and romantic setting, perfect for enjoying fresh seafood and ocean breezes.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for ocean 
Evert Lindquist, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 June 2024
Park in the free lot at Rotunda Drive and follow the paved Lakeview Trail toward the ocean.
—Laura Randall, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024
Most notably, El Niño helped push both air and ocean temperatures to record levels globally.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 June 2024
Dining near the Mystic River or at the seaport itself provides a charming and romantic setting, perfect for enjoying fresh seafood and ocean breezes.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for ocean
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.
Dictionary Entries Near ocean
Cite this Entry
“Ocean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ocean. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ocean
noun1
: the whole body of salt water that covers nearly three fourths of the surface of the earth
2
: one of the large bodies of water into which the ocean is divided
oceanic
adjective
ˌō-shē-ˈan-ik
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