tank

noun

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\ ˈtaŋk

Definition of tank

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a usually large receptacle for holding, transporting, or storing liquids (such as water or fuel)

2 : an enclosed heavily armed and armored combat vehicle that moves on tracks

3 : tank top

4 dialect : pond, pool especially : one built as a water supply

5 : a prison cell or enclosure used especially for receiving prisoners

in the tank or into the tank

: in or into a decline or slump the sullen student's grades went into the tank

tank

verb

tanked; tanking; tanks

Definition of tank (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to make no effort to win : lose intentionally tanked the match

2 : to place, store, or treat in a tank

intransitive verb

1 : to lose intentionally : give up in competition

2 : to suffer rapid decline, failure, or collapse bought a stock that quickly tanked

Other Words from tank Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing tank Learn More About tank

Examples of tank in a Sentence

Verb Some people say she deliberately tanked the match. Some people have accused her of tanking.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun One of the few buildings that was still intact Saturday morning caught fire after being hit by a tank round by the afternoon. — Yaroslav Trofimov, WSJ, 9 May 2022 In Bucha, workers were restoring WiFi service in the undamaged areas of an apartment complex on Pushkin Street that was shelled by a Russian tank in the early days of the war, killing a woman. — Washington Post, 9 May 2022 Protesters also marched in Warsaw on Sunday evening to protest the war, bringing a tank on a tractor and parking it in front of the Russian Embassy. — Vanessa Gera, ajc, 9 May 2022 Protesters also marched in Warsaw on Sunday evening to protest the war, bringing a tank on a tractor and parking it in front of the Russian Embassy. — Vanessa Gera, USA TODAY, 9 May 2022 Their goal was to establish a captive colony of the fish in the facility, which includes laboratory aquariums and a $4.5-million 100,000-gallon tank built as a replica of the natural rock tub. — Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2022 Loitering munitions, like the Switchblade 600 can find and destroy a tank from 25 miles away, giving a huge asymmetrical advantage to the defenders. — David Hambling, Forbes, 3 May 2022 Pete Carroll and John Schneider are veterans at coach and GM who could withstand a tank. — Doug Lesmerises, cleveland, 3 May 2022 Amid the wreckage, a Second World War memorial, featuring a life-size Soviet tank, still sat atop a hulking plinth. — Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 2 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Kimberly Diemert, the head of Jackson’s foundation, claimed on Twitter that Jackson, former GM Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry, who at the time worked under Brown, were offered bonuses to tank. — Dan Labbe, cleveland, 2 May 2022 The risk that natural-gas prices might tank to unprofitable levels isn’t very big. — Jinjoo Lee, WSJ, 28 Apr. 2022 For example, hot investments can grow exponentially or tank in a matter of hours, not days. — Gaurav Kapoor, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2022 Skeptics feared the greenway would invite unwanted strangers into their backyards or tank their home values. — Kayla Dwyer, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Mar. 2022 This isn't the first time McConnell has seen Republicans tank their own races. — Douglas Heye, CNN, 26 Jan. 2022 Several of Europe’s leading delivery companies have seen their stock prices tank in recent weeks, punctuated by Delivery Hero’s $5.8 billion market cap loss on Thursday. — Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2022 The players hope gains on the other end of the spectrum will help offset teams continuing to tank. — Jared Diamond, WSJ, 22 Mar. 2022 Bad news is already largely priced into Russia’s stock markets, but could tank indexes elsewhere. — Nick Wadhams, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tank.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.