Which coastal feature is an offshore structure designed to dissipate wave energy before it reaches the shore?

• A. Seawalls
• B. Groins
• C. Breakwater
• D. Jetties

Answer: (C)

The main idea is using an offshore barrier to dull wave energy before it reaches the shore. A breakwater is built offshore to absorb or dissipate the energy of incoming waves, creating a calmer area in its lee that protects harbors, anchorages, or shorelines from strong wave action. Waves break on the breakwater or in the sheltered zone, losing height and momentum, so less energy reaches the shore.

Seawalls run along the coast and directly shield the land from waves, but they are not offshore and don’t primarily work by dissipating energy offshore. Groins extend from the shore to trap sediment and influence littoral drift rather than reduce wave energy before reaching the shore. Jetties extend into the sea to stabilize inlets and channels; their main purpose is navigation and sediment management, not offshore energy dissipation.