cargo

noun

ˈkär-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce cargo (audio)
Definition of cargonext
as in payload
a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported we put all of our cargo on the pack animals and began our journey through the canyon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cargo The truck bed features three sides that fold completely flat, removing the need to lean over high-metal sides to drop in cargo. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 11 Nov. 2026 Higher diesel prices also affect the cost of other goods that have to be moved by truck or train or cargo ship. — Scott Horsley, NPR, 10 Nov. 2026 Liquefied natural gas exporter Venture Global shipped its first cargoes four years ago. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2026 Starship may eventually be capable of launching national security payloads, but SpaceX’s near-term priority is using the rocket’s massive cargo capacity for its own Starlink Internet satellites and Starmind orbital data centers. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cargo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cargo
  1. payload
  2. burden
  3. loading
  4. load
  5. freight
Noun
  • In September, the company confirmed those customers would contribute payloads alongside NASA cargo.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Vigoride 7 launched on March 30, along with many other payloads, aboard SpaceX's Transporter-16 rideshare mission.
    — Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of payload
Noun
  • The state of Connecticut has one of the highest property tax burdens in the nation and among the highest costs for energy and housing.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Film carries the burden of being popular in the present, but at the end of the day, the real challenge is to make something that can endure the test of time, like Vija does with her masterful work.
    — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of burden
Noun
  • Foraging there for sumac berries one day, Smith came across a loading dock that had been converted into a retention pond for managing runoff, where frogs were laying eggs as young tadpoles slithered along.
    — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The new study did not test whether bone loading extends human life, let alone by an entire decade.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of loading
Noun
  • The successful campaign allowed engineers to assess how the magnet deforms under electromagnetic loads and compare its behavior with structural models.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Rubber gaskets and seals help prevent leaks, especially in front-load models.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of load
Noun
  • Judah Levine, Freightos' head of research, said in addition to higher fuel, demand for fast shipping of hardware used to build data centers is helping to boost air freight rates, even weeks before peak last-minute holiday packages take to the skies.
    — Laya Neelakandan,Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026
  • PlusAI is a company working on autonomous trucking solutions with Nvidia, and the sand was in the trailers to simulate freight loads.
    — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of freight

Browse Nearby Words

careworn
cargo
cargoes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cargo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cargo. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cargo

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cargo

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