cargo

noun

car·​go ˈkär-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce cargo (audio)
plural cargoes or cargos
: the goods or merchandise conveyed in a ship, airplane, or vehicle : freight
Dock workers were unloading the ship's cargo.

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
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.
Russia later said the strike Friday targeted a cargo ship carrying military equipment. Illia Novikov, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025 Fewer ships mean fewer trucks picking up cargo, fewer planes moving goods, and less industrial activity overall. Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Each crew will engage in activities such as raising the sails, moving cargo and exploring areas of the 1863 ship that are normally shut off to the public. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2025 Washington — Birds were sucked into both engines of a FedEx cargo plane that made a fiery landing in March at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to a National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report released Wednesday. Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for cargo

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of cargo was in 1657

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cargo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cargo. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

cargo

noun
car·​go ˈkär-ˌgō How to pronounce cargo (audio)
plural cargoes or cargos
: the goods transported in a ship, airplane, or vehicle : freight

More from Merriam-Webster on cargo

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