payload

noun

pay·​load ˈpā-ˌlōd How to pronounce payload (audio)
plural payloads
1
: the load carried by a vehicle exclusive of what is necessary for its operation
especially : the load carried by an aircraft or spacecraft consisting of people or things (such as passengers or instruments) necessary to the purpose of the flight
NASA's first post-Challenger launching is tentatively set for May 1. Its payload, the NOAA-G weather satellite, will be lofted by an expendable Scout rocket. J. Eberhart
Their objective was to size the airplane according to its intended payload. Clive Irving
2
: the weight of a payload
… the Bronco had a payload of 2000 pounds.Darryl Young
Maximum fuel load is 3,550 pounds, leaving a payload of just 360 pounds with full tanks.J. Mac McClellan
3
: the destructive component carried by a missile or bomb
… they did not fail to realize that a missile powerful enough to put a satellite into orbit could also deliver a nuclear payload to Washington, D.C., or New York, or Chicago, or any major American city.Alex Wellerstein
also : something likened to such a payload
American computer security experts were first to spot another worm whose virus payload was contained within an e-mail that masqueraded as a virus alert from Symantec. Pacific Business News
Thus, a potential pitfall for using adenoviruses as a vaccine delivery system is that a person's immune system may end up responding more to the adenovirus itself than the vaccine's genetic payloadBeth Mole

Examples of payload in a Sentence

The truck is carrying a payload of 2,580 pounds. the space shuttle can carry a maximum payload of approximately 50,000 pounds
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.
The Israeli Air Force handled Iran's air defense system with ease, so much so that Israeli pilots established air superiority over the country and greased the skids for U.S. B-2 bombers to drop their 30,000-pound payloads on two of Iran's main nuclear facilities at Natanz and Fordow. Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025 Then, once the skies were cleared, Israel used its crewed aircraft to strike targets such as the Natanz nuclear facility with an accuracy and payload beyond drones’ capability. Michael C. Horowitz, Foreign Affairs, 4 July 2025 Small drones bring a transformational ability to rapidly deliver payloads several miles away with extreme precision. David Hambling, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 Robinson likened a satellite to a delivery truck and a payload to the package inside or the purpose of the mission. Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for payload

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of payload was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Payload.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/payload. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

payload

noun
pay·​load ˈpā-ˌlōd How to pronounce payload (audio)
: something (as cargo, passengers, instruments, or explosives) carried by a vehicle in addition to what is necessary for its operation

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