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

Following Taylor’s advice, Rogatinsky treated the house for termites, boarded it up and put a tarp on the roof to prevent further damage. —Amanda Rosa october 23, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025

The familiar card tables and tarps, the whispers of Chanel, Chanel — gone. —Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025

Years of hot sunshine, winds and rain steadily shredded the tarp, transforming the old church into one of San Jose’s worst eyesores. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025

Wrap it with burlap or a tarp to protect it from chilly winds during cold spells. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025

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