shipping

noun

ship·​ping ˈshi-piŋ 

1

a

: passage on a ship

b

: ships

c

: the body of ships in one place or belonging to one port or country

2

: the act or business of one that ships

Examples of shipping in a Sentence

The fruit was ready for shipping.

They protected our shipping from submarines during wartime.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping lane in the Middle East that Iran has effectively closed. —Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026

Global shipping and oil markets are already in turmoil after Iran responded to the American-Israeli attack by effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, prompting what the International Energy Agency described as the worst disruption in the history of the oil market. —Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026

Every day that Iran is willing and able to threaten shipping in the strait puts the world closer to serious economic damage. —Matt Peterson, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

But shipping experts told CBS News the eyewatering cost of insurance is not the primary reason why tankers are unwilling to transit the Strait of Hormuz. —Joe Walsh, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing shipping

• shipping and handling
• shipping clerk
• shipping crates

Rhymes for shipping

• chipping
• clipping
• dipping
• dripping
• flipping
• gripping
• nipping
• ripping
• sipping
• skipping
• slipping
• snipping

Kids Definition

shipping

noun

ship·​ping

ˈship-iŋ

1

: the body of ships in one place or belonging to one port or country

2

: the act or business of one that ships goods