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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of payload
When a crew member is found dead and another goes missing, military investigators board the floating fortress, with its 2,000-strong crew and nuclear payload, to hunt for the truth before the murder becomes a global security crisis.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Also under development are drones that can carry heavy payloads, such as flotation devices, fly for up to 14 hours or perform real-time mapping of the ground below.
—Adeel Khalid, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The booster used to put payloads into orbit can be married onto a medium-range missile to create intercontinental range capabilities.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Also under development are drones that can carry heavy payloads, such as flotation devices, fly for up to 14 hours or perform real-time mapping of the ground below.
—Adeel Khalid, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The booster used to put payloads into orbit can be married onto a medium-range missile to create intercontinental range capabilities.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payload
Noun
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Comparable cargo e-bikes like the Rad Power RadWagon ($2,399) and the Specialized Haul ST ($2,700) will run you significantly more.—
Erica Zazo,
Outside,
27 Mar. 2026
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The last cargo ships that left the Gulf before the war started have nearly all reached their destination in Asia, which is likely to face the first visible demand losses in April, according to JPMorgan.—
Chloé Farand,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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When a developer wants to connect a data center — or any other large load project — to the Texas power grid, that company must undergo a transmission study to ensure that the grid has enough wiring to transmit power.—
Emily Holshouser,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
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At the University of Colorado Boulder, annual costs can top $38,000 including food, housing, books and transportation for in-state students with a full-time credit load.—
Kaelyn Lara,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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On Sunday, Ukrainian drones attacked Primorsk, Russia's largest oil export port on the Baltic Sea, damaging an oil reservoir and oil loading infrastructure, Ukraine's general staff said in a social media post.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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The shooter and his pals passed the gun to each other in a bedroom, loading and unloading the ammo, prosecutors say.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The new school is expected to ease a long-standing burden for families living south of Idaho Highway 44.—
Noah Daly,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Mar. 2026
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Nothing except getting into fierce arguments with fellow-Jews, some would say, which Olitzky—who has a round, boyish face and a conciliatory manner—portrayed as a privilege rather than a burden.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Payload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payload. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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