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
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According to Davie fire officials, the crash involved two vehicles, including a fuel tanker, in the westbound lanes of I-595 east of Davie Road. Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026 Instead, smaller tankers must load the crude and then transfer the oil to the VLCCs in deeper waters—a more time-consuming and expensive maritime exercise. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026 The movie opens with marshland residents, including Lamia and Bibi, lining up far back and pressing urgently forward, jerricans in hand, to receive fresh water at a tanker truck from officials offering it as a gift from Hussein. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026 Crews fought the fire from outside the building after a tanker force responded to the scene. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 9 Feb. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanker. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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

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