# ashore

/əˈʃɔɹ/ (US) · /ɐʃˈɔː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ashore
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. toward the land

adverb · CEFR B2

moving from the water toward the land.

For teachers: indicating direction toward the shore from a vessel or the water.

- The sailors rowed the small boat ashore to find fresh water.
- After the engine failed, the strong current slowly pushed the abandoned vessel ashore, where it eventually ran aground on the rocks.

### 2. on the land

adverb · CEFR B2

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

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

- The captain spent two days ashore visiting his family before the next voyage.
- While the crew remained on the ship for repairs, the passengers were permitted to spend the afternoon ashore exploring the local markets.

## Examples

- The sailors jumped ashore quickly.
- We waited for the ferry to dock before we could go ashore to explore the town.
- After weeks at sea, the crew felt a profound sense of relief as they finally stepped ashore onto the familiar cobblestones of the harbor.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.