flatbed

1 of 2

adjective

flat·​bed ˈflat-ˌbed How to pronounce flatbed (audio)
: having a horizontal bed on which the work rests
a flatbed printing press
a flatbed scanner

flatbed

2 of 2

noun

: a motortruck or trailer with a body in the form of a platform or shallow box

Examples of flatbed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Police arrested 53-year-old Arnulfo Rodriguez on Thursday on a charge of stealing a flatbed trailer from an electrical contractor at 3321 Suffolk Drive on Oct. 29, 2023. Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Feb. 2024 Work crews used a crane on a flatbed train car to remove two sections of the bridge Thursday night and take them away for disposal, said Scott Johnson, director of communications for Metrolink, the multi-county commuter rail service. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Jan. 2024 Illustrating the fleet’s observational powers, Mr. Tri, the Albedo co-founder, said the space cameras could detect such vehicle details as sunroofs, racing stripes and items in a flatbed truck. William J. Broad, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 The guy also bought a flatbed truck that Taun fitted with a full kitchen. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2024 It has been repeatedly hauled away — on a flatbed trailer pulled by a diesel truck — and has spent months undergoing repairs, according to Remley. Bishop Unified’s second electric Blue Bird came a few months later. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2023 The young whale was lifted from the water, wrapped in moist towels and loaded onto the back of a flatbed truck, and Newby was told to ride with her down to Seattle. Caitlin Gibson, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2023 To get these precious petals to Chile, they’re carefully loaded atop a flatbed truck. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 29 Nov. 2023 In addition, 11 ambulances, three buses and a flatbed truck were delivered to assist with evacuations from Al Shifa hospital. NBC News, 26 Nov. 2023
Noun
The Standin' on the Corner Park sits on the corner of Second Street and North Kinsley Avenue and features a life-sized statue of a man with a guitar, just steps away from a red flatbed Ford parked at the curb — bringing the song lyrics to life. The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024 Florida’s distracted driving laws don’t mention pets, and there aren’t restrictions on letting pets ride in truck flatbeds. Emma Janssen, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024 British Airways takes things a step that is ridiculously far: charging business class passengers a fee on top of their ticket price to select their flatbed seats. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024 Just 52 guests will board the company’s Airbus A321, which comes stocked with only flatbed seats, so every guest can stay comfortable throughout the journey. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 Jan. 2024 The driver of the flatbed and a passenger did not report any injuries, according to state police. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 Jan. 2024 Dolly stayed regional—she got certified in manual, doubles, triples, and hazmat, and worked fifteen-hour days delivering construction materials on a flatbed to east Texas. Emily Gogolak, Harper's Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 Advertisement In photos of the scene published by Fox 11, lumber can be seen protruding from the end of the flatbed as the box truck sits several feet behind with what appeared to be damage to its front left side. Christian Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024 Two workers scaled the tree pile like a cliff and began heaving trees to smaller flatbed trucks parked beside them. Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flatbed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1892, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flatbed was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near flatbed

Cite this Entry

“Flatbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatbed. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flatbed

1 of 2 adjective
flat·​bed ˈflat-ˌbed How to pronounce flatbed (audio)
: having a horizontal bed on which material rests
a flatbed scanner

flatbed

2 of 2 noun
: a truck or trailer with a body in the form of a platform or shallow box

More from Merriam-Webster on flatbed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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