wagon train

noun

: a column of wagons (as of supplies for a group of settlers) traveling overland

Examples of wagon train 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 wagon train sped down the flat farm road lined by scrub oak, making good time. — Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026 Still etched into the land below were the ruts left by pioneer wagon trains from more than 160 years ago. — Pierce Miletich, Travel + Leisure, 13 Feb. 2026 James meets rough-and-ready cowboy Shea Brennan (Sam Elliott) upon arrival in Fort Worth and joins his wagon train heading West. — Rendy Jones, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Feb. 2026 Montpelier’s National Oregon/California Trail Center also offers a wagon train experience, simulating the experience of 1850s travelers. — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wagon train

Word History

First Known Use

1810, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wagon train was in 1810

Rhymes for wagon train

See All Rhymes for wagon train

Browse Nearby Words

wagon top
wagon train
wagon vault
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wagon train.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wagon%20train. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wagon train

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wagon train

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All