snowshoe

1 of 2

noun

snow·​shoe ˈsnō-ˌshü How to pronounce snowshoe (audio)
: a usually lightweight platform for the foot that is designed to enable a person to walk on soft snow without sinking and that typically consists of an oblong frame crossed with leather thongs or synthetic material

Illustration of snowshoe

Illustration of snowshoe

snowshoe

2 of 2

verb

snowshoed; snowshoeing

intransitive verb

: to travel on snowshoes
snowshoer noun

Examples of snowshoe in a Sentence

Verb We snowshoed through the woods.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
After thinking Pepper might be stuck in the snow, volunteers put on their snowshoes and continued the search, officials said. Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2024 The pristine blanket layered the ground for miles beyond what the eye could see, disturbed only where snowshoes and unseen animals had traipsed through. Caralin Nunes, The Arizona Republic, 24 Feb. 2024 In winter, guests can sled or snowshoe, and in summer there’s paddleboarding on the lake. Eimear Lynch Monica Khemsurov Kurt Soller Gisela Williams Caitie Kelly Elissa Suh, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Rent a pair of snowshoes from the Nordic Center, located next to the Strawberry Park Express lift, and hit some Nordic trails in McCoy Park. Jen Murphy, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2024 Visitors just might have to ditch their cars in favor of snowshoes or skis. Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 9 Feb. 2024 The leopard’s paws, covered in thick fur, can tread on jagged surfaces and act as perfect snowshoes. Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 6 Feb. 2024 And being out alone with nature required no fancy gear or expensive lift ticket, just some snowshoes, a pair of Sorels, poles, and a good trail map. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 18 Jan. 2024 Simply moving around a snowy environment on cross-country skis and snowshoes changed the bodily calculus. Max G. Levy, WIRED, 6 Jan. 2024
Verb
As a four-season destination, guests can hike, kayak, or go horseback riding in the summer and enjoy snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the winter. Julia Eskins, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 On-site are opportunities to snowshoe and stargaze. Kristine Hansen, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2024 The days are especially short in Dawson, a mere 165 miles south of the Arctic Circle, but there are plenty of outdoor activities, such as snowshoeing the Midnight Dome, a viewpoint overlooking the Yukon River and Klondike Valley (and often the only place to catch a few rays of direct sun). Fiona McGlynn, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024 If a snowmobile broke down, Seemann noted that a Seek Outside tent could fit in a backpack so a winter camper could safely ski or snowshoe out for help. Brett French, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 Off-mountain Activities Whistler has plenty of activity options beyond its alpine adventures — from snowshoeing at Whistler Olympic Park to bobsleigh rides at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Julia Eskins, Travel + Leisure, 3 Nov. 2023 Glacier National Park also closes sections of its famous Going-to-the-Sun Road to vehicles in the winter, but visitors can cross-country ski or snowshoe on the popular stretch. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 26 Oct. 2023 These mountains offer plenty to do besides hitting the slopes, too, from snowshoeing to flying through the trees on a bracing winter zip line. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2023 For work projects, Weed has swam with sharks, repelled into remote caves and snowshoed through Siberia. Ben Finley and Holly Ramer, Anchorage Daily News, 24 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snowshoe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1666, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snowshoe was in 1666

Dictionary Entries Near snowshoe

Cite this Entry

“Snowshoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snowshoe. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

snowshoe

1 of 2 noun
snow·​shoe -ˌshü How to pronounce snowshoe (audio)
: a light frame (as of wood or aluminum) strung with a net that is attached to the foot to prevent sinking in soft snow

snowshoe

2 of 2 verb
snowshoed; snowshoeing
: to travel on snowshoes

More from Merriam-Webster on snowshoe

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