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

Given the vessel's lack of nationality, the use of force including boarding the vessel was deemed unnecessary and the tanker was escorted out of the Estonian Economic Exclusion Zone. —Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025

More than 50 activists including Greta Thunberg briefly held a demonstration inside the Copenhagen office of Maersk’s tankers division Tuesday. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 May 2025

Buses, fuel tankers, and humanitarian aid are, however, allowed to cross the border into Ukraine without delay. —Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025

Children carrying empty bottles raced after a water tanker in a devastated area of northern Gaza on Sunday. —Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 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