as in cargo
a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported
the space shuttle can carry a maximum payload of approximately 50,000 pounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of payload
When a crew member is found dead and another goes missing, military investigators board the floating fortress, with its 2,000-strong crew and nuclear payload, to hunt for the truth before the murder becomes a global security crisis.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Also under development are drones that can carry heavy payloads, such as flotation devices, fly for up to 14 hours or perform real-time mapping of the ground below.
—Adeel Khalid, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The booster used to put payloads into orbit can be married onto a medium-range missile to create intercontinental range capabilities.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Also under development are drones that can carry heavy payloads, such as flotation devices, fly for up to 14 hours or perform real-time mapping of the ground below.
—Adeel Khalid, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
For the Department of Defense, SpaceX's Falcon 9 helps launch classified satellites and other payloads into space.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The booster used to put payloads into orbit can be married onto a medium-range missile to create intercontinental range capabilities.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for payload
Recent Examples of Synonyms for payload
Noun
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The sheriff's office said that the timber-hauling truck was in compliance with all safety measures regarding its cargo, and no criminal or civil charges were anticipated.—
April 3,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The 20-year-old driver was arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and the human cargo was taken to a hospital for injuries suffered during the smuggling attempt, authorities said.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Now, Nicasio and other students' work is paying off, giving people a place to take a load off.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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More income meant more leverage, the thinking went, and more ability to negotiate a fairer split of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, childcare, pet care—the whole to-do list and mental load of running a household.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Sunday, Ukrainian drones attacked Primorsk, Russia's largest oil export port on the Baltic Sea, damaging an oil reservoir and oil loading infrastructure, Ukraine's general staff said in a social media post.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
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The shooter and his pals passed the gun to each other in a bedroom, loading and unloading the ammo, prosecutors say.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jabran Sarfraz, a prominent economist in Karachi, said the immediate burden would fall on consumers, warning that higher fuel prices would raise the cost of daily necessities and disproportionately affect lower-income groups.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Higgins affirmed that the city’s goal is to avoid passing any financial burden onto taxpayers.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Payload.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/payload. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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