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

The Dominican Republic, which closed its borders with Haiti more than two years ago, also has extended its long-standing notice suspending passenger and cargo flights between the two countries, which share the island of Hispaniola. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2026

Air cargo is expected to experience backlogs as a wide swath of capacity remains grounded due to airport closures in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Mar. 2026

As a full-time over-the-road driver, Thomas, 44, hauls cargo across the United States from Kentucky. —Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026

China's factory activity faltered in February as manufacturers paused production and cargo shipments to celebrate an extended holiday, an official survey showed on Wednesday. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 4 Mar. 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