forklift

noun

fork·​lift ˈfȯrk-ˌlift 

: a self-propelled machine for hoisting and transporting heavy objects by means of steel fingers inserted under the load

Examples of forklift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the forklift operator and his family members — all citizens or legal residents — are fearful they could be swept up by immigration officers who are racially profiling people. —Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026

The league conducted tests at the Nashville outdoor game, stringing a cable the length of the rink between two forklifts to lift a plastic tarp over the rink. —Joe Smith, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026

Employees who work at the building, which has a large amount of flammable materials, include welders and forklift operators. —Julie Sharp, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026

So, say some small-time businessmen hire a truck through a dispatcher, the truck drives up to a field, and there, along the perimeter, a forklift crane pulls the pipe up from the sand. —Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for forklift

• adrift
• airlift
• facelift
• festschrift
• gearshift
• makeshift
• redshift
• sealift
• snowdrift
• spendthrift
• clift
• drift

Kids Definition

forklift

noun

fork·​lift ˈfȯr-ˌklift 

: a machine for lifting heavy objects by means of steel fingers inserted under the load