Sloops are a type of sailing vessel that were historically used for naval warfare, piracy and trade. There are a variety of synonyms that can be used to describe similar types of vessels. One such alternative term is the cutter, which is a type of boat commonly used for sailing, fishing or as a naval vessel. Another word that can be used to describe sloops is the yawl. Yawls are smaller boats that typically have two masts, with the shorter mizzen sail rigged behind the larger main sail. Ketches are another type of boat that can be used interchangeably with sloops, which feature two masts with the taller main mast and smaller mizzen mast.