1
a
: a usually enclosed wagon or motortruck used for transportation of goods or animals
also
: caravan sense 2a
b
: a multipurpose enclosed motor vehicle having a boxlike shape, rear or side doors, and side panels often with windows
c
: a detachable passenger cabin transportable by aircraft or truck
2
chiefly British
: an enclosed railroad freight or baggage car
1
dialectal, England
: a winnowing device (such as a fan)
2
Synonyms
Examples of van in a Sentence
Noun (2)
an artist who was in the van of abstract expressionism
a company that is considered by some to be in the van of the latest technology for renewable energy
Recent Examples on the Web
Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Maine coons, Bengals, Turkish vans, and Turkish angoras are all among the breeds that love water the most.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2024
The warm ovation raised the question: Had the pandemic not derailed him, would van Zweden have eventually settled in with the Philharmonic, and with New York?
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for van 
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Noun
The new families, arriving in long columns of vans, coaches and trucks escorted by police cars, were greeted by red banners and traditional Tibetan dances, social media footage shows.
—Simone McCarthy, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Maine coons, Bengals, Turkish vans, and Turkish angoras are all among the breeds that love water the most.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
No me lo van a creer pero nos chocaron el yate mientras estábamos en Nápoles.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2024
The warm ovation raised the question: Had the pandemic not derailed him, would van Zweden have eventually settled in with the Philharmonic, and with New York?
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for van
Articles Related to van
Dictionary Entries Near van
Cite this Entry
“Van.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/van. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
van
2 of 2 noun1
: a usually closed wagon or truck for transporting goods or animals
2
: an enclosed motor vehicle shaped like a box that is used for a variety of purposes and has rear or side doors and side panels often with windows
Etymology
Noun
a shortened form of vanguard
Noun
a shortened form of caravan "vehicle"
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