ferry
gb/fˈɛɹi/ us/fˈɛɹi/
B1
English
~ 6600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
boat for short water crossings
A boat that often goes back and forth across water to carry people and cars.
Usage pattern:
to take [the ferry] to [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "ferry" with "ship" or "boat" and use them interchangeably. A ferry is usually a boat that goes on short, regular trips and often carries both people and vehicles, while a ship is larger and used for longer journeys.
Synonyms
boat (More general; any small vessel, not specifically for regular crossings.)
|
waterbus (Used in some cities; suggests a public-transport-style ferry, often for short urban routes.)
Antonyms
bridge (A fixed structure that lets people cross water without using a boat.)
Collocations
take the ferry
|ferry terminal
|car ferry
|passenger ferry
|ferry crossing
Themes
travel
|transport
|daily life
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- We caught the last ferry back to the mainland at sunset.
- The car ferry can carry over a hundred vehicles on each trip.
- In the summer, the ferry to the island runs every thirty minutes.
- Strong winds forced the harbor to cancel all ferry services.
- They sat on the deck of the ferry and watched the city grow smaller behind them.
Learner examples
- We took the ferry to the island.
- The ferry was full of cars and people.
- Our hotel is close to the ferry terminal.
- The ferry leaves every hour in the morning.
- It is cheaper to go by ferry than by plane.
Verb
B2
action
2
carry by boat across water
To carry people or things across water in a boat that goes back and forth many times.
Usage pattern:
to ferry [people/things] across [water]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "ferry to" when they need an object, for example, "The boat ferried to the island". In this sense, "ferry" is usually transitive: "The boat ferried us to the island" or "They ferried supplies to the island."
Synonyms
transport (More general; does not say that the movement is across water or by boat.)
|
carry (Very general; can mean moving something in any way, not specifically by boat.)
Antonyms
strand (To leave people or things in a place with no way to move or continue their journey, opposite of transporting them by ferry.)
Collocations
ferry passengers
|ferry goods
|ferry tourists across
|ferry vehicles over
|ferried across the river
Themes
travel
|transport
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- Small boats were used to ferry supplies across the flooded river.
- Local fishermen now ferry tourists to the coral reefs during the high season.
- A shuttle boat ferries workers back and forth between the shore and the offshore platform.
- Helicopters ferried injured passengers from the ferry to the nearest hospital.
- The company ferries hundreds of commuters across the bay every weekday morning.
Learner examples
- Boats ferry people across the lake every day.
- They use a small boat to ferry food to the island.
- The company ferries cars and trucks across the river.
- A boat ferried us from the port to the hotel.
- Soldiers ferried water and medicine to the village.
Verb
B2
action
3
shuttle people or things repeatedly
To take people or things from place to place many times, usually with a car, bus, or other vehicle.
Usage pattern:
to ferry [someone/something] [to/from/between a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "ferry" as a verb must always involve water or boats. In modern English, it is often used for repeated short trips by car, bus, or other vehicles, especially when someone spends a lot of time driving others around.
Synonyms
shuttle (Very similar; commonly used for regular, repeated trips, slightly more neutral and more common for official services.)
|
drive (Focuses on operating a car; less about the repeated, service-like nature of the trips.)
Antonyms
leave (To not take or move someone or something, the opposite of actively transporting them.)
Collocations
ferry the children
|ferry workers to the site
|ferry students between campuses
|ferry supplies to the camp
|ferried back and forth
Themes
daily life
|transport
|work
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- Parents spend a lot of time ferrying their kids to school and after‑school activities.
- Volunteers ferried food and blankets to people in the temporary shelters.
- A small bus ferries employees between the train station and the office campus.
- Journalists were ferried to the remote village by helicopter.
- He spent the evening ferrying guests from the hotel to the wedding venue.
Learner examples
- She ferries her children to school every morning.
- A bus ferries workers from the town to the factory.
- They ferried boxes from the truck to the house.
- The company ferries staff between the two buildings.
- Volunteers ferried water to the people after the storm.
Noun
B2
entity
4
regular boat service across water
A regular boat service that takes people and cars across water as part of public transport.
Usage pattern:
the ferry between [place] and [place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes do not realize that "ferry" can mean not just the boat itself but also the regular transport service. In sentences like "The ferry was canceled," it often refers to the scheduled service or trip, not the physical boat.
Synonyms
shuttle service (Similar idea of regular trips, but not limited to water or boats.)
Antonyms
direct road link (A continuous land route that makes a water-based transport service unnecessary.)
Collocations
ferry service
|ferry route
|ferry timetable
|ferry operator
|ferry link
Themes
travel
|transport
|transportation
|daily_life
Examples
- The city plans to expand its river ferry to reduce traffic on the bridges.
- A new ferry connects the two sides of the bay during rush hour.
- Because of the storm, the ferry between the islands was suspended.
- The government subsidizes the ferry to keep prices low for local residents.
- Commuters rely on the harbor ferry as a fast alternative to crowded trains.
Learner examples
- The ferry between the two towns runs every day.
- A new ferry will help people cross the lake more quickly.
- They checked the ferry timetable online.
- The city wants to start a ferry on the river.
- Bad weather stopped the ferry this morning.
Grammar
Dictionary form
ferry
IPA
GB/fˈɛɹi/
US/fˈɛɹi/
Syllables & stress
ferry (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (ferry)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: ferry
- Plural: ferries, ferry
Verb
- Base: ferry
- 3rd Person Singular: ferries
- Present Participle: ferrying
- Past: ferried
Word family
Forms
ferries
noun
ferrying
verb
ferried
verb
Related words
ferryboat
noun B1
ferryman
noun
Expressions
by ferry
1/bˈaɪ fˈɛɹi/
fixed phrase
using a ferry as transport
Using a ferry boat as the way to travel from one place to another.
Examples
- The island can only be reached by ferry or by private boat.
- Most goods are brought to the city by ferry because there is no bridge.
- In good weather, the trip by ferry takes about forty minutes.
take the ferry
1/tˈeɪk ðə fˈɛɹi/
fixed phrase
travel somewhere on a ferry
To travel to a place as a passenger on a ferry boat.
Examples
- We usually take the ferry to the island because it’s cheaper than flying.
- If you take the ferry at 8 a.m., you will arrive in time for the meeting.
- Tourists can take the ferry from the city center to the beach in about twenty minutes.