plural boards
1
: a piece of sawed lumber of little thickness and a length greatly exceeding its width
nailed boards over the windows
2
a
: a surface, frame, or device for posting notices
Pin the photo to the board.
b
: blackboard
wrote the assignment on the board
c
: a flat usually rectangular piece of material (such as wood) designed for a special purpose: such as
(1)
: cutting board
also
: a selection of finger foods (such as sliced cheese, bread, raw vegetables, and prepared meats) served on such a board
a meat and cheese board
Customers can create delicious charcuterie boards by choosing treats from the array of antipasti and trimmings, including olives, artisan crackers, and fruit. —
Carina Stathis
Carina Stathis
(2)
(3)
: skateboard
… Tony Hawk has just legitimized the youthful rebellion they'd abandoned along with their boards.—Sean Pamphilon
Sean Pamphilon
(4)
: springboard sense 1
Do a backflip off the board.
(5)
d
basketball
: backboard sense 1
a rebound off the boards
also
: a rebound in basketball
averaging 7.8 boards per game
e
3
a(1)
: a group of persons having managerial, supervisory, investigatory, or advisory powers
She is on the bank's board of directors.
board of examiners
a board member
(2)
: an examination given by an examining board
—often used in plural
pass the medical boards
b
: league, association
local board of realtors
c
: daily meals especially when furnished for pay
paid for her room and board
d
: a table spread with a meal
offered to help clear the board
e
: a table at which a council or magistrates sit
sat at the council board
f
card games
(1)
: the exposed hands of all the players in a stud poker (see stud entry 1 sense 5) game
(2)
: an exposed dummy (see dummy entry 1 sense 2a) hand in bridge
g
archaic
: table sense 1a
4
electronics
: a sheet of insulating material carrying circuit elements and terminals so that it can be inserted in an electronic apparatus (such as a computer)
5
boards plural, ice hockey
: the low wall enclosing a hockey rink
6
computers
: message board sense 2
Add a link to the board.
7
a
b
: the stiff foundation piece for the side of a book cover
8
nautical
: the side of a ship
9
10
finance
: a securities or commodities exchange (see exchange entry 1 sense 5a)
boarded; boarding; boards
1
a
: to go aboard (something, such as a ship, train, airplane, or bus)
boarded a bus to Chicago
b
: to put aboard
an airliner boarding passengers
2
: to cover or seal off with a long, thin, and often narrow piece of sawed lumber : to cover or seal off with boards (see board entry 1 sense 1)
—usually used with up
board up a window
board up a house
3
: to provide with regular meals and often also lodging usually for compensation
supplemented her income by boarding college students
4
ice hockey
: to check (a player) into the low wooden wall enclosing a hockey rink : to check (a player) into the boards (see board entry 1 sense 5)
5
archaic
: to come up against or alongside (a ship) usually to attack
1
: to receive meals or lodging
bachelors who board at the inn
specifically
: to live at a boarding school
2
informal
: to ride a skateboard, snowboard, etc.
At 12, Danny joined his 16-year-old brother … on the slopes, boarding every day after school.—Scott DeSimon
Scott DeSimon3
a
: to get into or onto a means of transportation (such as an airplane, bus, ship, etc.)
A bit late, we hurried to the gate just in time to board.—Ellen Creager
Ellen Creager
b
: to put or allow passengers into or onto such a means of transportation
… before my plane boarded I wandered into a duty-free shop to pick up a few last-minute presents.—Ted Mooney
Ted MooneyExamples of board in a Sentence
Noun
They nailed some boards over the broken window.
They covered the board in fabric and pinned some photographs to it.
the board that is used to play games like chess and checkers
I saw a notice on the board calling for volunteers.
Write the answers on the board.
She is on the town's planning board.
The parole board has decided that the prisoner is not yet ready for release.
Verb
You must have a ticket in order to board the train.
The pirates tried to board the ship, but we fought them off.
We're supposed to board at 10:15.
We're now boarding all passengers.
The flight is about to begin boarding.
Passengers should remain in the boarding area.
The caretaker boarded the window.
They board guests during the summer season.
Many students board at the college.
Recent Examples on the Web
Annie Palmer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
Bezos didn’t order the editorial board to back the Republican, mind you.
—Jimmy Wales, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
For Metro Express, tickets are purchased at the station entrance, allowing everyone to board quickly through the front and rear doors of the buses.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for board
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
As part of Monday's announcement, the company said Dan Rosensweig will return as CEO effective immediately, replacing Nathan Schultz, who will step down from the role and remain as an executive advisor to Rosensweig and Chegg's board.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025
Bezos didn’t order the editorial board to back the Republican, mind you.
—Jimmy Wales, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
Crews contacted local police, who then boarded the ship via an inflatable boat in order to bring the body back to the mainland.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
For Metro Express, tickets are purchased at the station entrance, allowing everyone to board quickly through the front and rear doors of the buses.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for board
Cite this Entry
“Board.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/board. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
board
1 of 2 noun
ˈbō(ə)rd 
ˈbȯ(ə)rd
1
: the side of a ship
2
a
: a long thin flat piece of lumber
b
plural
: stage entry 1 sense 2b
trod the boards for 40 years
3
a
: a dining table
b
: daily meals especially when provided for pay
room and board
4
: a group of persons who manage, direct, or investigate
board of directors
board of examiners
5
a
: a flat usually rectangular piece of material designed for a special purpose
cutting board
chess board
diving board
b
: a surface, frame, or device for putting up notices
6
: a sheet of insulating material carrying circuit elements and connectors so that it can be inserted in an electronic device (as a computer)
board
2 of 2 verb1
: to go or put aboard : get or put on
board a plane
2
: to cover with boards
board up a window
3
: to provide or be provided with regular meals and often lodging usually for pay
4
: to live at a boarding school
Medical Definition
board
noun1
: a group of persons having supervisory, managerial, investigatory, or advisory powers
medical licensing boards
a board of health
2
: an examination given by an examining board
—often used in plural
passed his medical boards
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