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
About 20% of the world's oil flows throw the strait, and Iran's ability to block the flow of tankers has roiled the global economy, sending oil prices soaring.
—
Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Global leaders have been scrambling to contain the rising cost of oil and gasoline since the start of the Iran war, which took a record amount of oil off the market when tankers full of crude were stranded in the Persian Gulf and military strikes damaged refineries, pipelines and export terminals.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
But American oil can be put on a tanker and sent to Japan or the European Union if the price across the ocean rises.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
The escalation comes as Iraq moves to reopen the Waleed crossing with Syria and begin oil shipments by tanker to Syria’s Baniyas port, Iraqi and Syrian officials announced Tuesday.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
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Michael Loria, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Global leaders have been scrambling to contain the rising cost of oil and gasoline since the start of the Iran war, which took a record amount of oil off the market when tankers full of crude were stranded in the Persian Gulf and military strikes damaged refineries, pipelines and export terminals.
—Cathy Bussewitz, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
But American oil can be put on a tanker and sent to Japan or the European Union if the price across the ocean rises.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
The escalation comes as Iraq moves to reopen the Waleed crossing with Syria and begin oil shipments by tanker to Syria’s Baniyas port, Iraqi and Syrian officials announced Tuesday.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tanker
Cite this Entry
“Tanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tanker. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tanker
noun
tank·er
ˈtaŋ-kər 
: a vehicle (as a ship, truck, or aircraft) designed for the transportation of liquids
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