tarp

noun

ˈtärp 

plural tarps

: a piece of material (such as durable plastic or waterproofed canvas) used especially for protecting exposed objects or areas : tarpaulin

The crewmen competed for a place to stand beneath the small tarp that covered part of the narrow deck.

—Matt Potts

This house, half of it's all burned up. They live there, the burned part's covered with a tarp, with their dogs, and they must have at least ten.

—Katya Reno

Examples of tarp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tosch said Rivas’ DNA was also found on a rowing machine, a black rubber floor mat, a Tesla charger, and a green tarp in the garage. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026

At Levi's Stadium in San Francisco, the batwing logo vanished behind a white tarp and the venue was briefly renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. — Shelley E. Kohan, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

More than 10,200 families have received emergency supplies, including tents, tarps, solar lights, blankets, hygiene kits, cooking sets and Spanish Bibles. — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 July 2026

Collins visits the pool every few days, driving past the Kennedy Center each time to check whether the tarp is still up. — Rachel Treisman, NPR, 22 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tarp

• carp
• harp
• scarp
• endocarp
• pericarp

Kids Definition

tarp

noun

ˈtärp 

: tarpaulin