1
a
: the cubical content of a merchant ship in units of 100 cubic feet
b
: the displacement of a warship
2
a
: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or produced
b
: impressively large amount or weight
3
: a duty formerly levied on every tun of wine imported into England
4
a
: a duty or impost on vessels based on cargo capacity
b
: a duty on goods per ton transported
5
: ships in terms of the total number of tons registered or carried or of their carrying capacity
Examples of tonnage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All vessels above a certain tonnage are required by international law to have automatic identification systems that allow them to be tracked, and must keep them on at all times.
—
Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 19 Nov. 2024
After containers, ro/ro cargo — wheeled vehicles that are rolled on and off of ships — is responsible for the next most tonnage in Baltimore.
—Annie Jennemann, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2024
By my estimation, Rayne Beau is quickly approaching breakdancer Raygun and pop star Chappell Roan in sheer tonnage of 2024 Internet writing.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2024
Old Dominion Freight Line — Shares dropped 4.9% after Old Dominion Freight Line year-over-year daily revenue slumped 5.2% in August as less-than-truckload tonnage fell 6.1%.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tonnage 
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Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 19 Nov. 2024
After containers, ro/ro cargo — wheeled vehicles that are rolled on and off of ships — is responsible for the next most tonnage in Baltimore.
—Annie Jennemann, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2024
By my estimation, Rayne Beau is quickly approaching breakdancer Raygun and pop star Chappell Roan in sheer tonnage of 2024 Internet writing.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2024
Old Dominion Freight Line — Shares dropped 4.9% after Old Dominion Freight Line year-over-year daily revenue slumped 5.2% in August as less-than-truckload tonnage fell 6.1%.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tonnage
Dictionary Entries Near tonnage
Cite this Entry
“Tonnage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tonnage. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tonnage
noun
ton·nage
ˈtən-ij 
1
: a tax on ships based on tons carried
2
: ships in terms of the total number of tons that are or can be carried
3
: total weight in tons shipped, carried, or mined
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