coast

1.nounB1

Definition

the strip of land where a country or region touches the sea, including its beaches, cliffs, and rocky edges along the water.

Example

The Watanabe family spent their summer holiday in a small house on the coast of southern Japan.

on the coast of [place]

Aiko walked along the rocky coast every morning to watch the sunrise from the cliffs.

Common collocations

along the coast
the east/west/south/north coast
on the coast
coastal town
coastal region

Synonyms

shore
more general term for land at the edge of any body of water (sea, lake, river); coast is specifically oceanic
seaside
refers to areas by the sea, especially places people visit for holidays
coastline
focuses on the shape or outline of the coast as seen from the sea or on a map

Antonyms

inland
the area away from the coast, toward the middle of a country

Grammar Patterns

the coast + of + [place]

along the coast

on the coast

Usage Note

Often used with the definite article 'the' or a possessive ('the east coast', 'France's coast'). Can also be modified by direction words: east coast, west coast, north coast, south coast.

Common Mistakes

We went to the coast of beach to swim.

We went to the coast to swim.

'coast' already includes the beach area; do not add 'beach' after it.

The boat sailed near the coastally area.

The boat sailed near the coastal area.

the adjective is 'coastal', not 'coastally'.

2.nounB2

Definition

appearing in the fixed phrase 'from coast to coast', meaning across an entire large country — traveling or reaching from one shoreline all the way to the opposite shoreline.

Example

Ravi drove from coast to coast in just five days, starting in New York and ending in San Francisco.

from coast to coast

The charity cycling team will go from coast to coast to raise money for children's hospitals.

Common collocations

from coast to coast
coast-to-coast journey
coast-to-coast flight

Synonyms

nationwide
covers the whole country without the travel-journey implication; coast to coast specifically suggests crossing from one shoreline to the other
transcontinental
more formal and specifically means crossing a continent, not just a country

Grammar Patterns

from coast to coast

coast-to-coast + [noun]

Usage Note

This sense almost always appears in the fixed phrases 'from coast to coast' or 'coast-to-coast' (hyphenated as an adjective). The phrase is most commonly used in US contexts but can refer to other large countries with two coastlines.

3.nounB2

Definition

a figure of speech in which 'the coast' stands for the entire country or its whole population — used to describe something that is happening or true nationwide, as in 'the whole coast' meaning the whole nation.

Example

People across the coast tuned in to watch the president's speech on live television.

across the coast = across the nation

Polls across the coast showed that most voters wanted stronger action on climate change.

Common collocations

the whole coast
across the coast
people across the coast

Synonyms

nationwide
more direct and formal word for 'in every part of the country', without the coastal metaphor
countrywide
very similar to nationwide, slightly less common

Grammar Patterns

the whole coast

across the coast

Usage Note

This sense uses 'the coast' as a metonym for the entire country, replacing words like 'nation' or 'country'. It appears mainly in informal or journalistic US English, often in the pattern 'across the coast'. The focus is on nationwide scope, not physical shoreline geography.

4.nounB2

Definition

in basketball and similar sports, the action of moving the ball from one end of the playing court to the other, especially when a single player runs the full length of the court without passing.

Example

Noa grabbed the rebound and went coast to coast for an easy layup.

went coast to coast for [shot type]

The point guard dribbled coast to coast in under six seconds, leaving the defenders behind.

Common collocations

go coast to coast
coast-to-coast drive
coast-to-coast play

Grammar Patterns

coast to coast (in basketball)

go coast to coast

Usage Note

Strictly confined to sports commentary and writing, most often about basketball. The phrase describes a single player carrying or dribbling the ball the full length of the court.

Idioms

the coast is clear

idiom

said when there is no danger of being seen or caught, so it is safe to do something that you want to keep secret.

Zane waited behind the shed until his brother called out that the coast was clear.

The children checked that the coast was clear before sneaking into the kitchen for cookies.

1.verbintransitiveB1

Definition

to continue moving in a car, bike, or other machine when the motor is turned off or the pedals are still, relying on the vehicle's existing momentum rather than power, especially when going downhill.

Example

Priya turned off the engine and let the car coast down the long hill into the valley.

coast down [hill/slope]

The cyclist stopped pedalling and coasted along the flat road until the bike came to a stop.

Common collocations

coast down a hill
coast to a stop
coast along

Synonyms

freewheel
British English term for the same action, more commonly used for bicycles
glide
suggests smooth, quiet movement but does not specifically imply the engine is off

Antonyms

accelerate
to increase speed using the engine or pedals

Grammar Patterns

coast down + [hill/slope]

coast + [adverb of direction]

Usage Note

Primarily intransitive ('the car coasted down the hill'), but can be used transitively with a vehicle as object ('he coasted the bike to a stop') in informal speech.

Common Mistakes

The car coasted up the hill after the engine died.

The car rolled back down the hill after the engine died.

coasting only works when going downhill or on a flat surface with existing momentum; you cannot coast uphill.

2.verbintransitiveB1

Definition

to glide downhill on a sled, skis, or bicycle without pushing or pedalling, carried along by gravity simply for the pleasure of the ride.

Example

The children coasted down the snowy hill on their sleds, laughing all the way.

coasted down [surface] on [equipment]

Leila and her friends coasted down the grassy slope on pieces of cardboard.

Common collocations

coast down a hill
coast on a sled
coast on skis

Synonyms

glide
suggests smooth, controlled movement, but does not necessarily imply using gravity alone
slide
more general term; coasting is a type of sliding done for fun without effort

Antonyms

climb
to go upward, requiring effort

Grammar Patterns

coast down + [slope/hill]

coast + [adverb]

Usage Note

This sense overlaps with verb sense 1, but focuses on the human experience of sliding or gliding for recreation rather than the mechanical act of saving fuel. Often used in winter sports contexts.

3.verbintransitiveB2

Definition

to progress, succeed, or get through a situation with very little effort or difficulty, often because of existing skills, advantages, or luck.

Example

Beatriz was so good at maths that she could coast through the final exam without studying.

coast through [task/event]

After his promotion, Dimitri just coasted along and stopped trying to improve his work.

Common collocations

coast through
coast along
coast to victory

Synonyms

sail through
similar meaning but more positive; suggests competence rather than laziness
breeze through
very similar to 'coast through', but breezing implies speed while coasting implies lack of effort
cruise
informal; suggests doing something with relaxed ease

Antonyms

struggle
to have difficulty and need to work hard
strive
to make great efforts to achieve something

Grammar Patterns

coast through + [task/situation]

coast along + [adverb]

coast to + [result]

Usage Note

This sense often carries a slightly negative tone — coasting implies that someone is using their natural ability instead of working hard, and may be criticised for not putting in enough effort. The pattern 'coast through + [task/period]' is the most common.

Common Mistakes

She coasted to learn French in three months.

She coasted through her French lessons because she already spoke Italian.

coasting describes passing through something easily, not the act of learning or achieving something new.

Word family

coastal
adjectiveB1
coastline
nounB1
coaster
nounB2
coastguard
nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Coast is the broadest of these terms, referring to the entire region where land meets the sea, including cliffs, rocks, and beaches. Shore is more general — it can describe the edge of any body of water, including lakes and rivers, and focuses on the immediate waterline. Beach specifically means a flat, sandy or pebbly area at the water's edge where people swim and sunbathe. Seaside is a British English term for towns or resorts located by the sea, carrying a holiday connotation. Coastline describes the outline or shape of the coast as it appears on a map or from a distance. For example: 'The rugged coast of Oregon is famous for its cliffs' (coast — entire region); 'We sat on the shore of Lake Michigan' (shore — any water's edge); 'Families played volleyball on the beach' (beach — sandy area for recreation); 'They rented a cottage at the seaside' (seaside — holiday destination); 'The coastline of Norway is deeply indented with fjords' (coastline — the shape/outline).

coast ↗shore ↗beach ↗seasidecoastline

Common collocations

Nouns

coast guard
coast road
coast town
coastline

Adverbs

Phrases

from coast to coast
the coast is clear
up and down the coast

Prepositions

on the coast
off the coast
along the coast

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

From Old French 'coste' (rib, side, coast), from Latin 'costa' (rib, side). The geographical meaning developed from the idea of the 'side' of a landmass — the edge or boundary where land meets sea. The verb senses emerged in the 1800s, extending the idea of 'moving along the side' (of a hill) to 'moving without power' and later to 'proceeding without effort.'

Entries near

Previous entries

Next entries

coast

coast — noun

1. the strip of land where a country or region touches the sea, including its beach

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. appearing in the fixed phrase 'from coast to coast', meaning across an entire la

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. a figure of speech in which 'the coast' stands for the entire country or its who

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

4. in basketball and similar sports, the action of moving the ball from one end of

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

the coast is clear

coast — verb

1. to continue moving in a car, bike, or other machine when the motor is turned off

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

2. to glide downhill on a sled, skis, or bicycle without pushing or pedalling, carr

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

3. to progress, succeed, or get through a situation with very little effort or diff

Grammar Patterns

Usage Note

Common Mistakes

Word family

Synonym discussion

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

Entries near

Entries near