English Reference
adverb

ashore

adv.
US /əˈʃɔɹ/ UK /ɐʃˈɔː/ ashore

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    moving from the water toward the land.

    indicating direction toward the shore from a vessel or the water.

    Simple

    The sailors rowed the small boat ashore to find fresh water.

    In context

    After the engine failed, the strong current slowly pushed the abandoned vessel ashore, where it eventually ran aground on the rocks.

    landwardshoreward
    offshoreseaward
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    being on the land rather than on a ship or in the water.

    indicating a state of being on the land as opposed to being on a vessel.

    Simple

    The captain spent two days ashore visiting his family before the next voyage.

    In context

    While the crew remained on the ship for repairs, the passengers were permitted to spend the afternoon ashore exploring the local markets.

    on landaground

Most small boat arrivals are rescued by Border Force and RNLI boats on the English side of the Channel and brought ashore in Dover.

The Guardian· 7 Sept 2026

From a- + shore; see also onshore.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated