1
: a sailor who has charge of a ship's boat and its crew and who usually steers
2
: a steersman of a racing shell who usually directs the rowers
coxswained; coxswaining; coxswains
: to direct as coxswain
: to act as coxswain
Examples of coxswain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Amy Nicholson, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023
The acting is solid, particularly by Hadley Robinson as Joe’s love interest, Joyce, and Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch, who as the team’s coxswain doesn’t lift an oar but is in charge of navigation and steering.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023
With the stature of a coxswain at five foot two, Temple is an unlikely counterweight to two armed thugs.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2023
The smoke was so thick that the coxswain could not see the bow of the ship.
—Riley Mellen, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2023
Hauser had been selected by a coxswain to help get other sailors to a ship.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 24 July 2023
Petrick was a coxswain at the University of Rhode Island, before graduating in 2019, and was a coxswain for the crew team at Glastonbury High.
—Lori Riley, courant.com, 29 Aug. 2021
Usually slighter of build than the rest of the rowers, the coxswain keeps rowers focused with the sheer power of their voice.
—Kim O'Connell, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 July 2022
A lot of collegiate coxswains did get wet, however.
—Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2023
Cecile Richards, Glamour, 11 May 2018
Noun
Thank heavens for Luke Slattery as the coxswain Bobby Moch, who straps on a hands-free leather and metal megaphone — a contraption that, to modern eyes, looks like a torture device for mumblers — and instantly screams some life into the picture.
—Amy Nicholson, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2023
The acting is solid, particularly by Hadley Robinson as Joe’s love interest, Joyce, and Luke Slattery as Bobby Moch, who as the team’s coxswain doesn’t lift an oar but is in charge of navigation and steering.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2023
With the stature of a coxswain at five foot two, Temple is an unlikely counterweight to two armed thugs.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2023
The smoke was so thick that the coxswain could not see the bow of the ship.
—Riley Mellen, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2023
Hauser had been selected by a coxswain to help get other sailors to a ship.
—John Kelly, Washington Post, 24 July 2023
Petrick was a coxswain at the University of Rhode Island, before graduating in 2019, and was a coxswain for the crew team at Glastonbury High.
—Lori Riley, courant.com, 29 Aug. 2021
Usually slighter of build than the rest of the rowers, the coxswain keeps rowers focused with the sheer power of their voice.
—Kim O'Connell, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 July 2022
A lot of collegiate coxswains did get wet, however.
—Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2023
Verb
Watching her granddaughter Hannah pitch through a tough inning of softball or her granddaughter Lily coxswain for the rowing team was a marvel.
—Cecile Richards, Glamour, 11 May 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coxswain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Coxswain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coxswain. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
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