tanker

noun

tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər 

1

a

: a cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying liquid in bulk

b

: a vehicle on which a tank is mounted to carry fluids

also : a cargo airplane for transporting fuel

2

: a member of a military tank crew

Examples of tanker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The measures quickly disrupted the flow of sanctioned Russian oil to China and India, with millions of barrels now left floating on tankers as few want to risk American enforcement actions. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 18 Feb. 2025

The vessels in question are not modern, but rather are primarily aging fuel tankers. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb. 2025

The Argentine government’s initial response was to deploy 300 people, three small air tankers and one helicopter to combat the fire. —Kristin Deasy, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2025

Three vessels avoided a hit, including the Maersk Saratoga container ship, bulk carrier Liberty Grace and tanker Stena Impeccable. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 4 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tanker

• oil tanker

Rhymes for tanker

• anchor
• anker
• banker
• canker
• hanker
• rancor
• shanker

Kids Definition

tanker

noun

tank·​er ˈtaŋ-kər 

: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids