ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to convey (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another : transport
b
: to fly (an airplane) from the factory or other shipping point to a designated delivery point or from one base to another
: to cross water in a boat
plural ferries
1
: a place where persons or things are carried across a body of water (such as a river) in a boat
2
3
: a franchise or right to operate a ferry service across a body of water
4
: an organized service and route for flying airplanes especially across a sea or continent for delivery to the user
Synonyms
Examples of ferry in a Sentence
Verb
The cars were ferried across the river.
They ferry supplies to the island.
Noun
Ferries to both islands depart daily.
You can get there by ferry.
We'll meet you at the ferry.
Recent Examples on the Web
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2025
The county fire department handles a variety of emergencies: hoisting drivers to safety when cars veer off canyon embankments or ferrying the injured and the critically ill to hospitals.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
James Kendra, The Conversation, 20 Jan. 2025
Set to take effect on July 1 if approved, the rules apply to passenger ships over 492 feet long, encompassing most modern cruise ships but exempting Norway’s coastal ferries like Hurtigruten and Havila, which are built for year-round operation in challenging conditions.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ferry 
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Verb
Readers may remember how the city’s Department of Investigation in 2021 dinged de Blasio not only for the presidential campaign, but to help move his daughter from her Brooklyn apartment to Gracie Mansion, as well as ferrying his son Dante around New York and to college in Connecticut.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Jan. 2025
The county fire department handles a variety of emergencies: hoisting drivers to safety when cars veer off canyon embankments or ferrying the injured and the critically ill to hospitals.
—Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
Operators of tug, ferry and tour boats in and around New York City immediately responded to quickly evacuate 500,000 people in the area from danger.
—James Kendra, The Conversation, 20 Jan. 2025
Set to take effect on July 1 if approved, the rules apply to passenger ships over 492 feet long, encompassing most modern cruise ships but exempting Norway’s coastal ferries like Hurtigruten and Havila, which are built for year-round operation in challenging conditions.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ferry
Dictionary Entries Near ferry
Cite this Entry
“Ferry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferry. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ferry
1 of 2 verb
fer·ry
ˈfer-ē 
ferried; ferrying
1
a
: to carry by boat over a body of water
b
: to cross by a ferry
2
a
: to carry (as by aircraft or motor vehicle) from one place to another
b
: to deliver (an airplane) by flying it to its destination
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