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

Some sanctioned tankers already are diverting away from Venezuela. —Konstantin Toropin, Fortune, 21 Dec. 2025

Some sanctioned tankers are already diverting away from Venezuela. —Arkansas Online, 21 Dec. 2025

The pursuit of the tanker, off the coast of Venezuela, is the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than a week. —Lucia I Suarez Sang, CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025

Moran personnel have been placed on multiple tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet and are frequently the only Russians on board, according to both Ukrainian and Western intelligence sources. —Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 18 Dec. 2025

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