tarmac

1 of 2

noun

tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a tarmacadam road, apron, or runway

Tarmac

2 of 2

trademark

—used for a bituminous binder for roads

Examples of tarmac in a Sentence

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.
Noun
Ground handling and tarmac loading have fully resumed, though flight schedules will require another 24-to-48 hours to clear passenger and freighter backlogs. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026 The attack was a show of force and was criticized for using expensive precision ammunition to hit the airport tarmac. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 29 July 2026 Mia Gonzales-Swinton stood on a Dover Air Force tarmac freighted with grief, keeping her 4-year-old daughter close in front of her. — Chris Kenning, USA Today, 26 July 2026 The $20 million capital improvement construction project included full demolition and reconstruction of the base’s aging tarmac and new underground fire-retardant reloading bays. — Regina Elling, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tarmac

Word History

Etymology

Noun

from Tarmac, a trademark

First Known Use

Noun

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tarmac was in 1919

Phrases Containing tarmac

Rhymes for tarmac

See All Rhymes for tarmac

Browse Nearby Words

tarlatan
tarmac
Tarmac
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tarmac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tarmac. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tarmac

noun
tar·​mac ˈtär-ˌmak How to pronounce tarmac (audio)
: a road, apron, or runway paved with layers of crushed stone covered with tar

More from Merriam-Webster on tarmac

Nglish: Translation of tarmac for Spanish Speakers

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