tanker

noun

tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər 

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

In the coming days, others tankers are set to bring more of the nation's oil to different destinations, including the Bahamas. —Weilun Soon Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 21 Jan. 2026

First responders attempted to extricate the tanker driver, but he was found dead inside the truck, according to state police. —Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026

Most of the other tankers also have been captured in the waters near Venezuela, with the exception of the Bella 1, which was captured in the North Atlantic. —Konstantin Toropin, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026

The absence of tampons or diapers in the debris suggested predominantly all-male groups of litterers, such as tanker or fishing-boat crews. —Ian Frazier, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tanker

• oil tanker

Rhymes for tanker

• anchor
• anker
• banker
• canker
• hanker
• rancor
• shanker

Kids Definition

tanker

noun

tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər 

: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids