1
: a part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating size
2
: reduction in sail area by reefing
reefed; reefing; reefs
1
: to reduce the area of (a sail) by rolling or folding a portion
2
: to lower or bring inboard (a spar) wholly or partially
: to reduce a sail by taking in a reef
1
a
: a chain of rocks or coral or a ridge of sand at or near the surface of water compare atoll, barrier reef
b
: a hazardous obstruction
Examples of reef in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Freedman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2025
The ocean’s waves generate enough force to move the corals — sometimes in the wrong direction — but gravity and the slope of the reef tend to move the creatures back down.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
The area also has the longest natural rock reef in North America.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
The reefs are close to shore and offer lots of small hiding spaces for tropical sea life (just watch out for the jellyfish).
—Sandy Allen, AFAR Media, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reef
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Noun
Wander the colorful streets of Old San Juan, snorkel the stunning reefs off Grand Turks, and relax on the white sand shores of a private island on this week-long getaway.
—Hannah Freedman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2025
The ocean’s waves generate enough force to move the corals — sometimes in the wrong direction — but gravity and the slope of the reef tend to move the creatures back down.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 31 Jan. 2025
The area also has the longest natural rock reef in North America.
—Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
The reefs are close to shore and offer lots of small hiding spaces for tropical sea life (just watch out for the jellyfish).
—Sandy Allen, AFAR Media, 10 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reef
Cite this Entry
“Reef.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reef. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reef
1 of 3 noun1
: a part of a sail taken in or let out in regulating size
2
: the reduction in sail area made by reefing
reef
2 of 3 verb
: to reduce the area of (a sail) by rolling or folding a portion
reef
3 of 3 noun
: a chain of rocks or coral or a ridge of sand at or near the surface of water
Etymology
Noun
Middle English riff "reef of a sail"; of Norse origin
Noun
from Dutch rif "reef of rocks or sand"; of Scandinavian origin
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