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.
The tanker was laden with more than 2 million barrels of crude oil and sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. — Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026 For Israel, deployments like those tankers at Ben Gurion could pose temporary headaches. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 Iran twice attacked vessels in the strait — including a tanker filled with Qatari crude — and drew retaliatory American airstrikes. — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 The weekend escalation comes after tanker traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz picked up last week, leading to a further retreat in oil prices. — Zev Fima,kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 28 June 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 7 Jul. 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

Nglish: Translation of tanker for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tanker

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