as in cargo
a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported
the space shuttle can carry a maximum payload of approximately 50,000 pounds
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Recent Examples of payload
Southwest Research Institute Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio has a long history of supporting space research and has received multiple NASA contracts for science payloads to help learn more about the lunar surface.
—
Brandon Lingle, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
The payloads are from Germany, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Argentina and will study various impacts of space radiation on space hardware, monitor space weather, and how the environment affects electrical hardware bound for the moon.
—Brendan Byrne, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Using nuclear electric propulsion, the mission could dramatically shorten travel times and carry heavier scientific payloads, while deploying advanced robotic helicopters to scout the Martian surface.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
To infinity and beyond A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared for launch carrying NASA's IMAP mission, which will study the boundary of the sun's heliosphere and other scientific payloads, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sept. 23, 2025.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Brandon Lingle, Austin American Statesman, 10 Apr. 2026
The payloads are from Germany, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Argentina and will study various impacts of space radiation on space hardware, monitor space weather, and how the environment affects electrical hardware bound for the moon.
—Brendan Byrne, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
Using nuclear electric propulsion, the mission could dramatically shorten travel times and carry heavier scientific payloads, while deploying advanced robotic helicopters to scout the Martian surface.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
To infinity and beyond A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is prepared for launch carrying NASA's IMAP mission, which will study the boundary of the sun's heliosphere and other scientific payloads, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Sept. 23, 2025.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payload
Noun
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As the vehicle sat stalled, Davin Smith drove a maroon Honda CRV into the back of it, causing both the Honda and the cargo in the big rig to catch fire.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
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This included troubleshooting the capsule’s space toilet (multiple times), piloting the spacecraft by hand, and testing procedures such as sheltering from solar radiation in the cargo locker.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If too many load-bearing cards are taken away, the tower crumbles and the overall transportation quality tanks, Goodwin said.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Once transported to the canyon, the modular components were assembled and put into place using one of the world’s largest cable cranes (cranes that move loads while suspended on cables), which spanned the gorge between the two towers.—
Aman Kumar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Officials reviewed nuclear fuel loading, equipment integrity, and high-temperature performance.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Apr. 2026
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To help riders, some attractions may offer a storage shelf at the loading station to stow guest's cups or personal items until they are finished riding.—
Carly Caramanna,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Government officials, who had already introduced measures to ease the burden of price increases two weeks ago, have been baffled over the rationale behind the protests because the global price spike is due to the conflict in the Mideast that has restricted oil exports.—
Brian Melley,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
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Government officials, who had already introduced measures to ease the burden of price rises a few weeks ago, were baffled over the rationale behind the protests because the global price spike is due to the Middle East conflict that restricted oil exports.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Payload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payload. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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