tonnage

noun

ton·​nage ˈtə-nij 

1

a

: the cubical content of a merchant ship in units of 100 cubic feet

b

: the displacement of a warship

2

a

: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or produced

b

: impressively large amount or weight

3

: a duty formerly levied on every tun of wine imported into England

4

a

: a duty or impost on vessels based on cargo capacity

b

: a duty on goods per ton transported

5

: ships in terms of the total number of tons registered or carried or of their carrying capacity

Examples of tonnage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Month-over-month, commodity import tonnage declined in every category except soybeans, which doubled. —Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025

May’s overall tonnage numbers did not help Old Dominion’s case. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 June 2025

In 2024, the total tonnage of red grapes harvested dropped by 10 percent and white grapes increased by two percent. —Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 3 June 2025

While the sheer tonnage of entertainment inventory far outweighs the available opportunities in live sports, the money is rapidly shifting to where the balls, bats and pucks are. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 29 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

in sense 3, from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from tonne tun; in other senses, from ton entry 1 — more at tunnel

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for tonnage

• dunnage

Kids Definition

tonnage

noun

ton·​nage ˈtən-ij 

1

: a tax on ships based on tons carried

2

: ships in terms of the total number of tons that are or can be carried

3

: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or mined