1
a
: a cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying liquid in bulk
b
: a vehicle on which a tank is mounted to carry fluids
also
: a cargo airplane for transporting fuel
2
: a member of a military tank crew
Examples of tanker in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Thursday morning, a gas tanker overturned on Highway 101 in San Jose, closing the southbound lanes until late afternoon and early evening.
—
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
The official described the tanker as a dark fleet vessel that was attempting to illegally evade sanctions.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 22 Dec. 2025
Sanctioned tankers represent less than a fifth of the oil exported from Venezuela, according to Seigle.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2025
On Saturday, the Defense Department interdicted a second tanker, which the White House said carried sanctioned oil.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanker
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Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
The official described the tanker as a dark fleet vessel that was attempting to illegally evade sanctions.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 22 Dec. 2025
Sanctioned tankers represent less than a fifth of the oil exported from Venezuela, according to Seigle.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2025
On Saturday, the Defense Department interdicted a second tanker, which the White House said carried sanctioned oil.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanker
Cite this Entry
“Tanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanker. Accessed 30 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tanker
noun
tank·er
ˈtaŋ-kər 
: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids
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