tanker

noun

tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər How to pronounce tanker (audio)
Synonyms of tankernext
1
a
: a cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying liquid in bulk
b
: a vehicle on which a tank is mounted to carry fluids
also : a cargo airplane for transporting fuel
2
: a member of a military tank crew

Examples of tanker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
That has forced tankers onto longer routes and pushed up insurance costs, tightening the effective supply of vessels even as global trade keeps moving. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026 The 91-meter (298-foot) Alsu is an oil or chemical tanker sailing from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to Aliaga on the Aegean coast, according to the Marine Traffic website. — ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026 The fire broke out at a Howard Industries facility in Laurel after a paint booth caught fire next to a tanker truck carrying an explosive substance, Mayor Johnny Magee told local media. — Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 The boys sailed into Da Nang Harbor at night, then moored to a giant tanker in a Russian naval base. — George Boedecker Jr, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tanker

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tanker was in 1900

Phrases Containing tanker

Rhymes for tanker

See All Rhymes for tanker

Browse Nearby Words

tank engine
tanker
tankerabogus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanker. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tanker

noun
tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər How to pronounce tanker (audio)
: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids

More from Merriam-Webster on tanker

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tanker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tanker

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