transportation

noun

trans·​por·​ta·​tion ˌtran(t)s-pər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce transportation (audio)
1
: an act, process, or instance of transporting or being transported
2
a
: means of conveyance or travel from one place to another
b
: public conveyance of passengers or goods especially as a commercial enterprise
3
: banishment to a penal colony
transportational adjective

Examples of transportation in a Sentence

the transportation of troops overseas She arranged for the transportation of her furniture to her new apartment. He was the U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Reagan.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Iran has threatened to mine the strait in recent days to effectively block the transportation of oil. Michael Collins, USA Today, 25 June 2025 Agents are even being put to use in clinical trials, carrying out tasks such as screening applications, matching candidates to trials and booking transportation to the test facility. Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 As access to land and long-distance transportation of grain and meat improved the diets of even the poorest Europeans and Americans, the last quarter of the nineteenth century brought mass famines to Brazil, China, India, Java, and southern Africa. Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025 However, Randolph — who is running on a platform based on bettering the workplace, housing, transportation and mental health services, according to his campaign site — challenged Thompson last year for her Senate seat, signaling his desire to shift the district away from her policies. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for transportation

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of transportation was in 1540

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Transportation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transportation. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

transportation

noun
trans·​por·​ta·​tion ˌtran(t)s-pər-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce transportation (audio)
1
: an act, process, or instance of transporting or being transported
2
: exile to a penal colony
3
a
: a means or method of transport
was left without transportation when the car died
b
: the public transporting of passengers or goods usually for a price

More from Merriam-Webster on transportation

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