merchant ship

noun

Definition of merchant shipnext
as in motor ship

Related Words

Relevance

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 merchant ship But how those military assets figure into getting merchant ships moving through the strait again is not defined. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 4 May 2026 Four of the ships were tankers carrying crude oil or chemicals, with the majority of the rest bulk carriers, a kind of merchant ship carrying dry cargo. — Nbc News, NBC news, 10 Apr. 2026 As far back as 1975, when President Gerald Ford rescued the SS Mayaguez, the merchant ship captured by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, presidents have acknowledged the law and dutifully reported their military actions to Congress. — Sarah Burns, The Conversation, 4 Mar. 2026 Under the cover of night on July 30, 1949, the Amethyst quenched all its lights on board and shadowed a passing Chinese merchant ship, the Kiangling Liberation, following it through the tricky shoals of the river. — Anne Ewbank, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for merchant ship
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merchant ship
  1. aircraft carrier
  2. trader
  3. steamship
  4. barge
  5. steamer
  6. transport
  7. freighter
  8. tanker
Noun
  • The aircraft carrier sailed a few hundred miles south of Bermuda for the launch.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Argentina entered the Falklands conflict with powerful ships, including the cruiser General Belgrano and the aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo.
    — HOLMES LIAO, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of aircraft carrier
Noun
  • This border crossing was once a bustling nexus for tourists and traders moving between China and Nepal.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The stronger-than-expected numbers have fed funds futures traders betting on a Federal Reserve rate hike this month, as the data points to a resilient labor market alongside inflation still above the Fed’s 2% target.
    — Jake Angelo, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of trader
Noun
  • Most reached the region by steamship to Skagway or nearby Dyea, Alaska, before attempting to cross the Coast Mountains via the White Pass or Chilkoot trails.
    — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The ferry also stops on Ellis Island, part of the national park, and is famous for processing more than 12 million immigrant steamship passengers through its federal immigration station from 1892 to 1954.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of steamship
Noun
  • The winning projects range from a floating food forest on a barge by Mary Mattingly to a nomadic dome for the exchange of Somali ancestral knowledge and contemporary art.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • According to Nova, the shipment of equipment left Seattle by barge on August 26 and should arrive at Port MacKenzie, Alaska, in early September.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of barge
Noun
  • For floors, a combination vacuum/floor steamer saves time and cleans well.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Made from lightweight, stretchy nylon and spandex fabric, it can be worn right out of your suitcase without having to break out a steamer.
    — Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of steamer
Noun
  • The companies could work on transport-basket optimization, regulatory filings, safety and security requirements.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Since diesel is the lifeblood of the supply chain, a rise in fuel costs may result in higher prices charged by wholesalers in response to elevated transport expenses.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of transport
Noun
  • Emirates SkyCargo in July flew the first commercial Boeing 777-300 passenger-to-freighter conversion, carrying more than 100 tons from Hong Kong to Dubai, with Israel Aerospace Industries contracted for at least three more conversions.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The ship is similar in size and capacity to the Sanchi, an Iranian ship that collided with a freighter off China in 2018 in the world’s worst oil tanker disaster in decades.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of freighter
Noun
  • The tanker was hit by four projectiles fired by US forces, Tasnim reported.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Crude-tanker stocks have led the rally, up 120% year-to-date, followed by car carriers, gas carriers and dry-bulk shippers, Lloyd's data show.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of tanker

Browse Nearby Words

merchants
merchant ship
merchant ships
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Merchant ship.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merchant%20ship. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on merchant ship

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about merchant ship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of magnanimous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All