boatload

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A large quantity.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

He showed up an hour later with a whole boatload of hamburgers, chips, cookies, and assorted other munchies, not to mention sodas and beer, and we all fell in and stuffed ourselves silly.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “boatload” mean?

A large quantity.

Is “boatload” formal or informal?

boatload is generally slang.