1
: a usually large receptacle for holding, transporting, or storing liquids (such as water or fuel)
2
: an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on tracks
3
: tank top
5
: a prison cell or enclosure used especially for receiving prisoners
tanked; tanking; tanks
1
: to make no effort to win : lose intentionally
tanked the match
2
: to place, store, or treat in a tank
1
: to lose intentionally : give up in competition
2
: to suffer rapid decline, failure, or collapse
bought a stock that quickly tanked
Examples of tank in a Sentence
Verb
Some people say she deliberately tanked the match.
Some people have accused her of tanking.
Recent Examples on the Web
Justin Williams, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Other countries have watched their democracies slip away gradually, without tanks in the streets.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Destinee Adams, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025
Trump's tariffs and shakeup of global trade has rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past month, .
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tank
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
There are multiple dining and nutrition stations; training and recovery spaces that feature four massive in-ground tubs (cold, hot, adjustable treadmill floor), a sauna, cryotherapy chamber and dry-float recovery tanks; players lounges, offices and team meeting spaces.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Other countries have watched their democracies slip away gradually, without tanks in the streets.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
And that's on top of what Donald Trump is already doing to tank the economy with tariffs and with other inflationary tactics that are just making life more expensive.
—Destinee Adams, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025
Trump's tariffs and shakeup of global trade has rattled global and domestic markets, with Wall Street tanking over the past month, .
—Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tank
Cite this Entry
“Tank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tank. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tank
1 of 2 noun1
: a usually large container for holding, transporting, or storing liquids
2
: an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on beltlike tracks
tank
2 of 2 verb
: to place, store, or treat in a tank
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