forklift

noun

fork·​lift ˈfȯrk-ˌlift How to pronounce forklift (audio)
: a self-propelled machine for hoisting and transporting heavy objects by means of steel fingers inserted under the load

Examples of forklift 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.
Todd Engel had operated heavy machinery, like forklifts and rubber-tire loaders, around warehouses and highways in suburban Maryland for four decades. — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026 General manager John Belfie hasn't been able to get trucks, deliveries, or his forklift back there for months. — Liz Crawford, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 Ahead of this storm, Formica said workers secured dock lines, moved loose items and equipment out of harm’s way and parked the marina’s trucks and forklifts at the highest point of the property. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026 Now the trucks were parking in the farm’s north field while a forklift began stacking the golden blocks. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for forklift

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of forklift was in 1944

Rhymes for forklift

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Browse Nearby Words

forkless
forklift
forklike
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Cite this Entry

“Forklift.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forklift. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

forklift

noun
fork·​lift ˈfȯr-ˌklift How to pronounce forklift (audio)
: a machine for lifting heavy objects by means of steel fingers inserted under the load
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