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

• burden
• draft
• freight
• haul
• lading
• load
• loading
• payload
• weight

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

Michigan sits nestled among the Great Lakes — the world's largest freshwater system and a major shipping hub, with over 160 million tons of waterborne cargo traveling through the region each year, according to the American Great Lakes Ports Association. —Jalen Williams, Detroit Free Press, 29 Nov. 2024

Six years ago, Pamela and Christian Wilson, troubled by the lack of affordable housing in Baltimore, told me about their dream to build small homes out of cargo containers. —Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 29 Nov. 2024

Most of the ships carrying immigrants were repurposed cargo or timber vessels powered by sail, about 100 feet long and 20 to 30 feet wide. —William Higgins, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Nov. 2024

Most airlines no longer accept pets traveling as cargo, but Alaska Airlines still does. —Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024

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

Kids Definition

cargo

noun

car·​go ˈkär-ˌgō 

plural cargoes or cargos

: the goods transported in a ship, airplane, or vehicle : freight