An oarsman is a person who rows a boat using oars. The long wooden paddles called oars lever against the water to push the boat forward, and an oarsman is someone skilled at using them. While anyone can row a boat, the word oarsman typically refers to someone who does it seriously: a competitive rower on a racing crew, a professional who rows for a living, or an experienced boater who has mastered the technique.

In crew racing, oarsmen train for years to develop timing and technique. Eight oarsmen might row together in perfect synchronization, their oars dipping into the water and pulling back in one fluid motion. Historical oarsmen powered Viking longships across the North Sea and Roman galleys across the Mediterranean, making rowing one of humanity's oldest ways of moving across water.

Today you might also hear the gender-neutral term rower or the word oarswoman for female rowers, though oarsman has also been used for anyone who rows.