cargo

noun

car·​go ˈkär-(ˌ)gō 

plural cargoes or cargos

: the goods or merchandise conveyed in a ship, airplane, or vehicle : freight

Dock workers were unloading the ship's cargo.

Synonyms of cargo

• payload
• burden
• loading
• load
• freight

Examples of cargo in a Sentence

The ship was carrying a cargo of crude oil.

we put all of our cargo on the pack animals and began our journey through the canyon

Recent Examples on the Web

Russia has used ports such as Astrakhan and Olya to move military cargo between Iran and Russia, according to analysts. — CNN Money, 25 July 2026

For newer cargo-bike riders, this means less to think about in stop-start traffic, when kids, cars, and cargo are already demanding your attention. — New Atlas, 25 July 2026

The state gets nearly all its food from cargo ships that have traveled thousands of miles, making prices and the selection at stores vulnerable to oil market spikes. — ABC News, 25 July 2026

The state gets nearly all its food from cargo ships that have traveled thousands of miles, making prices vulnerable to oil market spikes. — Dee-Ann Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, load, charge, from cargar to load, from Late Latin carricare — more at charge entry 1

First Known Use

1657, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing cargo

• cargo cult
• cargo pants
• cargo pocket

Rhymes for cargo

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

cargo

noun

car·​go ˈkär-ˌgō 

plural cargoes or cargos

: the goods transported in a ship, airplane, or vehicle : freight