snowshoe

1 of 2

noun

snow·​shoe ˈsnō-ˌshü How to pronounce snowshoe (audio)
: a usually lightweight platform for the foot that is designed to enable a person to walk on soft snow without sinking and that typically consists of an oblong frame crossed with leather thongs or synthetic material

Illustration of snowshoe

Illustration of snowshoe

snowshoe

2 of 2

verb

snowshoed; snowshoeing

intransitive verb

: to travel on snowshoes
snowshoer noun

Examples of snowshoe in a Sentence

Verb We snowshoed through the woods.
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.
Noun
On a 19-degree Fahrenheit day, Mann hit the trail in New York's Adirondack Mountains with his snowshoes. Brittney Melton, NPR, 3 Mar. 2025 The visitor center and museum offer free snowshoe rentals. Jennifer Broome, The Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
Those who want to snowshoe in state forests will need to bring their own snowshoes and should be aware that state forests are open to hunting and trapping during the appropriate seasons. Tom Schardin, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2024 Another high point was snowshoeing in a forested canyon where a waterfall was all icicles. Fran Golden, AFAR Media, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for snowshoe

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1666, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snowshoe was in 1666

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Cite this Entry

“Snowshoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snowshoe. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

snowshoe

1 of 2 noun
snow·​shoe -ˌshü How to pronounce snowshoe (audio)
: a light frame (as of wood or aluminum) strung with a net that is attached to the foot to prevent sinking in soft snow

snowshoe

2 of 2 verb
snowshoed; snowshoeing
: to travel on snowshoes

More from Merriam-Webster on snowshoe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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