cargo

noun

ˈkär-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce cargo (audio)
Definition of cargonext
as in payload
a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported we put all of our cargo on the pack animals and began our journey through the canyon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of cargo Before emails and computer processors, people used analog typewriters to document cargo details. — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The date was verified by ⁠two Yemeni coast guard sources and two military officials in the government who said a small cargo ship was attacked by Houthis. — Reuters, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026 Typhoon Dolphin’s impacts have extended to cargo movement in the air. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 11 Aug. 2026 Its optional SingleLoad and DuoLoad modules deliver a slide-out cargo stack right inside the load doors, below bed level. — New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cargo
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cargo
  1. payload
  2. burden
  3. loading
  4. load
  5. freight
Noun
  • It will be used to integrate Department of Defense payloads for not just Blue Origin, but other launch providers with national security missions.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Carry large payloads efficiently, often placing two telecommunications satellites on one launch.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of payload
Noun
  • Electricity bills have gone up in Quincy, but large industrial customers like data centers are shouldering the burden.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The burden varies depending on how open the model is and how mature the supporting software ecosystem has become.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of burden
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
  • In a report Monday, Windward said Kharg’s western terminal had seen no loadings for 22 consecutive days, the liquid petroleum gas terminal for 13 days and the eastern terminal for 10 days.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of loading
Noun
  • Like a spacecraft control panel, design should reduce cognitive load while keeping critical actions visible and understandable.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • As a result, Zinn couldn’t bear doubling their stress load, both by his being in harm’s way and their taking a financial hit by losing his dependable shipyard check.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of load
Noun
  • Heather Garcia is a senior manager of communications with the freight provider.
    — Lauren Linder, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The risks Germany faces were underlined last week by the discovery of a drone carrying explosives at Leipzig/Halle airport, a major hub for international freight and for providing support to Ukraine.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of freight

Browse Nearby Words

careworn
cargo
cargoes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cargo.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cargo. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on cargo

Nglish: Translation of cargo for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cargo

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zeugma

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All