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
With past tanker seizures straining relations between Tehran and Washington, the move could escalate tensions further.
—
Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
But deploying firefighters, helicopters and water tankers is often based on human decisions.
—Devendra Goyal, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Exxon Valdez, a 987-foot tanker loaded with 53 million gallons of crude oil, slammed into Alaska’s Bligh Reef just after midnight on March 24, 1989.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
That figure accounts for categories like tankers and dry bulk vessels that haven’t always conducted mass diversions, meaning container shipping’s transit volumes have a steeper decline.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanker
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Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
But deploying firefighters, helicopters and water tankers is often based on human decisions.
—Devendra Goyal, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Exxon Valdez, a 987-foot tanker loaded with 53 million gallons of crude oil, slammed into Alaska’s Bligh Reef just after midnight on March 24, 1989.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2025
That figure accounts for categories like tankers and dry bulk vessels that haven’t always conducted mass diversions, meaning container shipping’s transit volumes have a steeper decline.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanker
Cite this Entry
“Tanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanker. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tanker
noun
tank·er
ˈtaŋ-kər 
: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids
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