Do you need words to describe the ocean ending in -ing to help with your writing? See how you can incorporate the following 10 into your story.
1. Never-ending
Definition
Without end or stopping point; infinite.
Examples
“She stared out at the never-ending ocean, wondering if she’d ever find her way back home.”
“It was the movement of the ocean that made him ill; it was the thought of crossing a never-ending field of deep water that made him cling to dry land.”
How it Adds Description
When describing an ocean’s size, you may want to emphasize just how big it seems when viewed from the deck of a ship or shore. Use never-ending to show not only how vast the ocean is, but also the effect that vastness has on the characters experiencing it.
2. Roaring
Definition
- Containing a lot of power or number.
- Making a sound similar to that of an animal’s roar.
Examples
“We stayed locked in our cabins as we could hear the roaring ocean outside our port window.”
“The hard winds and rains of the hurricane also brought the roaring ocean, threatening to take down all signs of life on the beachside.”
How it Adds Description
In a strong storm, the waves of the ocean slap against each other and make sounds like animals fighting. Describing that sound as roaring suggests the loud sound comes from a place of violence and the characters hearing it are scared of what might happen next.
3. Mesmerizing
Definition
To hold one’s full attention, as if under a spell.
Examples
“The endless blue and mirror-like surface of the mesmerizing ocean was almost hypnotic.”
“The mesmerizing ocean was so calm and empty that he felt drawn to throw himself within it.”
How it Adds Description
The ocean is such a large body of water and, if out in the middle of it, especially the especially large Pacific Ocean, the infiniteness can be overwhelming to a person. Using mesmerizing to describe the ocean suggests that your character may be either struggling with feeling small in comparison to the ocean’s grand size or feeling tranquil and at peace with it.
4. Unforgiving
Definition
Not providing any leeway or margin for error.
Examples
“We knew the unforgiving ocean would give us no mercy if we got caught in a storm.”
“As the waves toiled and turned, the unforgiving ocean thrashed the tiny fishing boat, taking down to its depths.”
How it Adds Description
When water is caught up in dangerous weather, like hurricanes or tsunamis, it can destroy anything in its path. Personifying the ocean by calling it unforgiving shows just how destructive the ocean can be and emphasizes that nothing your characters can do will help.
5. Raging
Definition
- Thrashing about as if in an uncontrollable anger.
- An extra ordinate amount or degree.
Examples
“It was only a matter of time before the raging ocean broke the banks of the levee and flooded the town below.”
“Every summer, the country watched as the raging ocean forged a path of destruction in its path across the islands.”
How it Adds Description
Watching the ocean during a bad storm must make the ocean feel like a living being; it rushes and roars and thrashes about, almost as if it is upset at being disturbed by the wind and rain. Using raging to describe the ocean in this way suggests that the characters should be afraid of what the angry ocean might do to them if they were to find themselves in its way.
6. Churning
Definition
Swirl or whisk aggressively.
Examples
“The churning ocean swallowed everything within its powerful whirlpool.”
“As the winds got faster, the churning ocean got choppier and choppier.”
How it Adds Description
Describing the ocean as churning emphasizes what the waves are doing: slowly moving in a tight circular fashion, like mixing cake batter in a bowl. While the churning ocean isn’t dangerous yet, the longer it goes on, the more powerful it will get. Any characters nearby would know to stay away until the ocean calmed down again.
7. Disorienting
Definition
Unable to easily find one’s place, either physically or temporally, causing feelings of panic and/or confusion.
Examples
“She sat in her rowboat and looked out over the vast and disorienting ocean; she’ll never find land again.”
“He tried to find something on the horizon he recognized, but the disorienting ocean made everything hazy after a while.”
How it Adds Description
Because of how big and empty the ocean’s surface is until you get closer to land, characters may find it difficult to pinpoint something they recognize that might help keep them grounded. Using disorienting highlights that confusion the characters may feel, especially if they are looking for land or signs of life far away on the horizon.
8. Shimmering
Definition
To reflect light in small waves or points.
Examples
“It was a sight to behold: the setting sun dipping behind the shimmering sea.”
“With the stars’ reflections bouncing off the shimmering ocean, we could see perfectly.”
How it Adds Description
Light reflecting off water can often be as bright and useful as the light itself. However, because the water is almost always in motion, the reflection will come off as small waves rather than a straight reflection. Describing this reflection as shimmering suggests a positive emotion for the scene as it evokes feelings of magic and majesty.
9. Whirling
Definition
- Rotate quickly in a circular motion, like a tornado or washing machine.
- Move by quickly.
Examples
“The waves of the whirling ocean circled around the tiny boat; when they crashed, the boat would be gone.”
“The whirling ocean rushed passed the coastline, almost as if it were late for another appointment.”
How it Adds Description
While churning emphasizes a small mixing action, whirling shows the ocean moving as one large body and forming into a singular large circle. This is especially true in extreme weather conditions or when a tidal wave is gaining height and power. Any characters near a whirling ocean should proceed with caution and seek shelter at a safe distance before the ocean whirls around them, too.
10. Bubbling
Definition
To create bubbles or the sound of bubbles.
Examples
“He heard the bubbling ocean outside his port window and hoped it was nothing to worry about.”
“Where there is a bubbling ocean, there are large amounts of marine life.”
How it Adds Description
A bubbling ocean means that there is a lot of air trapped underwater and trying to make its way to the top. This could be benign as there being a lot of marine life in this part of the ocean, breathing out tiny oxygen bubbles that pop on the surface. Or it could be something more serious like a sign of an underwater volcano or earthquake taking place and serious events are about to happen.