all-terrain vehicle

noun

all-ter·​rain vehicle
: a small motor vehicle with three or four wheels that is designed for use on various types of terrain

called also ATV

Examples of all-terrain vehicle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
According to court records, two all-terrain vehicles were stolen from a Waterbury residence in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 15 May 2025 Last year, the UK’s Defense Ministry said the Russians were increasingly using off-road bikes and all-terrain vehicles for night-time attacks. Daria Tarasova Markina and Tim Lister, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025 But with items like all-terrain vehicles, or quad bikes, thieves often deposit their haul in remote areas for several days as a precaution against tracking devices. Stephen Castle, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025 Its mechanized forces, central to its strategies for victory, are bleeding out and now include museum-grade military trucks, civilian cars, vans, all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles ... and even donkeys. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for all-terrain vehicle

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all-terrain vehicle was in 1956

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“All-terrain vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all-terrain%20vehicle. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

all-terrain vehicle

noun
: a small motor vehicle with three or four wheels for use on various types of ground

More from Merriam-Webster on all-terrain vehicle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!