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
The missions were carried out by 83 separate aircraft, including intelligence-gathering planes and tankers used to refuel jets in midair.
—
Natasha Bertrand, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
But after the start of the war in Ukraine, the tankers started getting weird.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
However, a direct trip to Mars would require vast amounts of fuel, so SpaceX plans to use in-orbit refueling, where multiple tanker Starships transfer propellant to a main vehicle before departure.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
The oil depot is used for the transport of oil and oil products between rail tankers, sea vessels, and road transport and is the largest oil storage facility in Crimea, holding up to 250,000 tons of fuel, which supplies Russian forces.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tanker
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Natasha Bertrand, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
But after the start of the war in Ukraine, the tankers started getting weird.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
However, a direct trip to Mars would require vast amounts of fuel, so SpaceX plans to use in-orbit refueling, where multiple tanker Starships transfer propellant to a main vehicle before departure.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
The oil depot is used for the transport of oil and oil products between rail tankers, sea vessels, and road transport and is the largest oil storage facility in Crimea, holding up to 250,000 tons of fuel, which supplies Russian forces.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 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 23 Oct. 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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