tarp

noun

ˈtärp 

plural tarps

: a piece of material (such as durable plastic or waterproofed canvas) used especially for protecting exposed objects or areas : tarpaulin

The crewmen competed for a place to stand beneath the small tarp that covered part of the narrow deck.

—Matt Potts

This house, half of it's all burned up. They live there, the burned part's covered with a tarp, with their dogs, and they must have at least ten.

—Katya Reno

Examples of tarp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But two decades on, the grim reaper still walks the rows: 110 degrees, no tree, no tarp, a single water jug growing warm, its handle slick from dust and hands. —Dean Florez, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2025

Workers separated lockers from walls as part of their efforts to dry the floors, and put books and other soaked materials onto plastic tarps to dry. —Cleo Krejci, jsonline.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Her body was covered by blankets, tarps and dirt. O’Steen is accused of beating to death Grimes, who was 26 and the mother of three young children. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2025

Then remove any lava rocks or glass beads from the pit and place them on a tarp. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tarp

• carp
• harp
• scarp
• endocarp
• pericarp

Kids Definition

tarp

noun

ˈtärp 

: tarpaulin