all-terrain vehicle

noun

all-ter·​rain vehicle
: a small motor vehicle with three or four wheels that is designed for use on various types of terrain

called also ATV

Examples of all-terrain vehicle 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.
In the dead of winter, dozens of all-terrain vehicles and motorbikes converge in the region to test their speed and agility on more than two miles of zigzagging, looping track. — Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026 The rusted structure was barely hanging on, and its operation was time-consuming for the busy ranchers, who had to lug special tools on all-terrain vehicles and on foot to open or close the mechanism. — Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026 More than 70 dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles were trapped and seized by police on the Bay Bridge, even as some riders abandoned their vehicles and tried to flee on foot, authorities said. — Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026 The Charlotte executive died in an all-terrain vehicle crash in October 2025. — Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for all-terrain vehicle

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-terrain vehicle was in 1956

Browse Nearby Words

all talk and no action
all-terrain vehicle
all that
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-terrain vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-terrain%20vehicle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

all-terrain vehicle

noun
: a small motor vehicle with three or four wheels for use on various types of ground

More from Merriam-Webster on all-terrain vehicle

Nglish: Translation of all-terrain vehicle for Spanish Speakers

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