inlet

noun

in·​let ˈin-ˌlet How to pronounce inlet (audio)
-lət
1
a
: a bay or recess in the shore of a sea, lake, or river
also : creek
b
: a narrow water passage between peninsulas or through a barrier island leading to a bay or lagoon
2
: a way of entering
especially : an opening for intake

Examples of inlet in a Sentence

The coast is dotted with tiny inlets. went fishing in the quiet inlets of the coast
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Rescue operations are underway Friday after a small plane with 10 people went missing over Alaska’s Norton Sound shoreline — an inlet of the Bering Sea. Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 7 Feb. 2025 Palm Beach County In Palm Beach County, the most vulnerable spots by the year 2050 would include communities just south of Jupiter inlet, including the Jupiter Ridge Natural Area, and communities east and south of the Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2025 Therefore, the engine needs some sort of variable-geometry inlet, like an air spike, that can be adjusted in real-time to mold the shockwave and reduce the speed of the incoming air from hypersonic to supersonic or subsonic. New Atlas, 6 Apr. 2025 Local workers ferried from his inlet spot on Virginia Key to help build nearby Fisher Island into a luxury area, a once-virgin land where Luznar’s family used to go camping. Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inlet

Word History

Etymology

from its letting water in

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of inlet was circa 1576

Cite this Entry

“Inlet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inlet. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

inlet

noun
in·​let ˈin-ˌlet How to pronounce inlet (audio)
-lət
1
: a small or narrow bay
2
: an opening for intake especially of fluids

Medical Definition

inlet

noun
in·​let ˈin-ˌlet, -lət How to pronounce inlet (audio)
: the upper opening of a bodily cavity
especially : that of the cavity of the true pelvis bounded by the pelvic brim

More from Merriam-Webster on inlet

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