Ashore means on land or toward the shore, especially when coming from water. When sailors reach ashore after weeks at sea, they step off their ship onto solid ground. When a boat runs ashore, it hits the beach or gets stuck in shallow water near the coast.

The word captures that moment of transition from water to land. A stranded sailor might wash ashore on a deserted island. A family might row their boat ashore for a picnic on the beach. Navy personnel get “shore leave” when they're allowed to go ashore and spend time on land between voyages.

You'll often see ashore in sea stories and adventures. In Treasure Island, pirates row ashore to hunt for buried gold. In real history, explorers went ashore to claim new lands for their countries.

The opposite of ashore is aboard (on a ship) or offshore (away from land, out in the water). While ashore technically just means “on land,” it carries the feeling of the sea: you wouldn't say you walked ashore to go to school, but you would say a dolphin washed ashore during a storm.