shipping

1 of 2

noun

ship·​ping ˈshi-piŋ How to pronounce shipping (audio)
Synonyms of shippingnext
1
a
: passage on a ship
b
: ships
c
: the body of ships in one place or belonging to one port or country
2
: the act or business of one that ships

shipping

2 of 2

present participle of ship entry 2, ship entry 3

Examples of shipping in a Sentence

Noun The fruit was ready for shipping. They protected our shipping from submarines during wartime.
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
Damage to refineries and disrupted shipping from the wars in Iran and Ukraine have pushed diesel to record highs in many markets, feeding directly into trucking, farming, and freight costs. — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 Algorithmic rate shopping changes how shipping labels are created by checking multiple carrier networks in real time. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 With no clear end to the volatility, independent retailers are having to build it into their buying strategies, prioritizing flexible orders, transparent shipping terms, and suppliers willing to share the risk. — Jessica Binns, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 There have been more than a dozen strikes on shipping since the end of September, reducing the volume of oil transiting the strait and keeping crude prices above $100 a barrel. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shipping

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of shipping was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing shipping

Rhymes for shipping

See All Rhymes for shipping

Browse Nearby Words

shipper fork
shipping
shipping and handling
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

shipping

noun
ship·​ping
ˈship-iŋ
1
: the body of ships in one place or belonging to one port or country
2
: the act or business of one that ships goods

More from Merriam-Webster on shipping

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shipping

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shipping

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