Illustration of moat
- moat 1
1
: a deep and wide trench around the rampart of a fortified place (such as a castle) that is usually filled with water
The moat can be crossed by a drawbridge.
2
: a channel resembling a moat (as about a seamount or for confinement of animals in a zoo)
A Bengal tiger stared at me from across the moat.
Examples of moat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Researchers also began excavating the nearly 20-foot deep moat that surrounded the castle and discovered a Jetton, or coin, from the mid-16th century.
—
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 May 2024
The Biden administration aims to create a defensible moat so that U.S. automakers’ efforts to build competitive EVs are not wiped out by Chinese imports.
—Chris Bataille, Fortune, 23 May 2024
Find a slice surrounded by a deep moat of mixed milks for maximum soakage.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
Children and grandmas throwing buckets of icy cold water from pickup trucks that circle the city’s moat, spraying passersby with hoses and squirting water guns at each other for three days straight.
—Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 9 May 2024
Pontiac splashed through a moat of water spangles and ducked under a spruce-pine bend, and suddenly there was Bob Fireman’s Wagon Wheel.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Ant Moats An ant moat is essential for keeping ants and other crawling insects away from the hummingbird feeder and the sweet nectar they are attracted to.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024
The frame was built with 60 tons of steel, and to reach the 4-inch-thick oak front door, weighing 762 pounds, visitors must cross a drawbridge spanning a moat before walking under a portcullis.
—Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Berkshire Hathaway’s Buffett has famously argued that great business models often have significant barriers to entry, or moats, that prevent competition from coming in and ruining the party.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 May 2024
The Biden administration aims to create a defensible moat so that U.S. automakers’ efforts to build competitive EVs are not wiped out by Chinese imports.
—Chris Bataille, Fortune, 23 May 2024
Find a slice surrounded by a deep moat of mixed milks for maximum soakage.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2024
Children and grandmas throwing buckets of icy cold water from pickup trucks that circle the city’s moat, spraying passersby with hoses and squirting water guns at each other for three days straight.
—Katie Lockhart, Robb Report, 9 May 2024
Pontiac splashed through a moat of water spangles and ducked under a spruce-pine bend, and suddenly there was Bob Fireman’s Wagon Wheel.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, Peoplemag, 7 May 2024
Ant Moats An ant moat is essential for keeping ants and other crawling insects away from the hummingbird feeder and the sweet nectar they are attracted to.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2024
The frame was built with 60 tons of steel, and to reach the 4-inch-thick oak front door, weighing 762 pounds, visitors must cross a drawbridge spanning a moat before walking under a portcullis.
—Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Berkshire Hathaway’s Buffett has famously argued that great business models often have significant barriers to entry, or moats, that prevent competition from coming in and ruining the party.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moat.' 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
“Moat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moat. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moat
noun
: a deep wide trench around the walls of a castle or fortress that is usually filled with water
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