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

Edmunds also singled out its easygoing driving nature, roomy cargo hold, and impressive fuel economy from its available hybrid powertrain. —ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026

The decision rests in part on whether the ships can secure maritime insurance, a crucial financial hedge for valuable cargo on the high seas. —Steve Kopack, NBC news, 8 Apr. 2026

From Dubai to London Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, then chairman of DP World, Dubai’s primary cargo logistics company, emailed Epstein on May 9, 2009. —Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026

But instead of hauling a trailer, the cargo is one gigantic watermelon, with an adorable tail on the end. —Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 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