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 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 Consider, for example, the number of sensors in your home, in your car, in a tank, on an oil rig, or in the energy sector. — Karen Walker, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2021 But does the 32-year-old have anything left in the tank? — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2021 Medway Public Library director Margaret Perkins said there were two zebra danios — also known as zebra fish — in the tank at the library. — BostonGlobe.com, 1 Nov. 2021 Yet Louis and his team detected far more electron neutrinos arriving in the tank than the simple theory of neutrino oscillations predicted. — Quanta Magazine, 28 Oct. 2021 Her work involves cultivating life in the tank, like microbes and phytoplankton, which are the base of the oceanic food web. — Matt Simon, Wired, 26 Oct. 2021 The team was heading in a different direction under coach Derek Fisher, who inexplicably benched Parker in the 2019 semifinals on the brink of elimination while the forward still had enough in the tank to chase a second title. — James Kay, chicagotribune.com, 23 Oct. 2021 Did any of the divers require extraordinary persuasion to get in the tank? — Chris Lee, Vulture, 18 Oct. 2021 Diesel is near $4 a gallon now, which means truckers are paying $1,000 to fill up a tank. — Washington Post, 15 Oct. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Those restrictions mean that any lawmaker, particularly in the Senate, could effectively tank the legislation over his or her priorities, including insisting that the bill repeal SALT. — New York Times, 2 Nov. 2021 At the time, then-Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and his team were convinced letting that single fund fail would tank global markets. — William Pesek, Forbes, 28 Sep. 2021 McConnell's threat has prompted outrage from Democrats, who have said the GOP leader is playing a dangerous game that could tank the US economy. — Clare Foran, Ted Barrett And Ali Zaslav, CNN, 27 Sep. 2021 While the surge in home buying — and the accompanying price gains — was welcome in a state where the home sale market struggled after the recession of the late 2000s, there is the danger that an overheated market can tank. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, courant.com, 17 Oct. 2021 As shown in the video below, this can negate all damage from enemy players while they are attached, and reportedly this can even tank Golden Gun super shots. — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2021 Manchin isn't coming up with an arbitrary number in an effort to tank the twin pieces of legislation being pushed by Biden. — Chris Cillizza, CNN, 30 Sep. 2021 Progressives have the numbers to tank the vote with their powerful 96-person caucus. — Savannah Behrmann, USA TODAY, 29 Sep. 2021 As part of his efforts to tank Chipman's nomination, Trump Jr. targeted Democratic senators in red states, such as Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. — Ed O'keefe, Alan He, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2021

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.