semitrailer
noun
semi·trail·er
ˈse-ˌmī-ˌtrā-lər 
ˈse-mē-,
-mi-
plural semitrailers
1
: a freight trailer that when attached is supported at its forward end by the fifth wheel device of the truck tractor
2
: a trucking rig made up of a tractor and a semitrailer
called also big rig
Examples of semitrailer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The typical maximum height for trucks is 13 feet, 6 inches, meaning many semitrailers are more than a foot too tall for the Vollmer Road viaduct’s clearance.
—
Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Two lanes of eastbound Interstate 70 are closed in west metro Denver after a semitrailer crashed and partially rolled off of a bridge, officials said Friday.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Canned or jarred groceries will quickly reach a 40,000-pound limit, but corn chips or saltines may fill the 4,000-cubic-foot volume limit of a semitrailer before the weight limit is reached.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
In 2018, a semitrailer truck collided with a bus carrying a youth hockey team to a playoff game in western Canada, killing 16 people and injuring several others.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semitrailer
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Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
Two lanes of eastbound Interstate 70 are closed in west metro Denver after a semitrailer crashed and partially rolled off of a bridge, officials said Friday.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Canned or jarred groceries will quickly reach a 40,000-pound limit, but corn chips or saltines may fill the 4,000-cubic-foot volume limit of a semitrailer before the weight limit is reached.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
In 2018, a semitrailer truck collided with a bus carrying a youth hockey team to a playoff game in western Canada, killing 16 people and injuring several others.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for semitrailer
Cite this Entry
“Semitrailer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semitrailer. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
semitrailer
noun
semi·trail·er
ˈsem-i-ˌtrā-lər
ˈsem-ˌī-
1
: a freight trailer that when attached is supported at its forward end by the truck tractor
2
: a trucking rig made up of a tractor and a semitrailer
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