ton

1 of 2

noun (1)

plural tons also ton
1
: any of various units of weight:
2
: a great quantity : lot
ate tons of cookies
has tons of money
a ton of work to do
3
a
: a unit of internal capacity for ships equal to 100 cubic feet

called also register ton

b
: a unit approximately equal to the volume of a long ton weight of seawater used in reckoning the displacement of ships and equal to 35 cubic feet
c
: a unit of volume for cargo freight usually reckoned at 40 cubic feet

called also measurement ton

ton

2 of 2

noun (2)

1
: the prevailing fashion : vogue
2
: the quality or state of being smart or fashionable

Examples of ton in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Those adjustable buckles combined with the open toe design leads to tons of comfort and flexibility, which is ideal on those long days with lots of walking. Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2024 All this time on water has given him a ton of insight into how bass behave around the spawn. Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 21 Mar. 2024 Central banks bought a record 2,100 tons of gold in 2022 and 2023, according to Bank of America data, reducing global supply substantially and boosting prices. Will Daniel, Fortune, 21 Mar. 2024 This has environmentalists up in arms, arguing a delay will result in hundreds of millions of more tons of heat-trapping emissions in the atmosphere than under the more aggressive rules. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 19 Mar. 2024 The reality is that a ton of folks push through no matter what, Dr. Seng says. Alyssa Sparacino, SELF, 19 Mar. 2024 The Israeli military says a ship has delivered 200 tons of food, water and humanitarian supplies to Gaza, inaugurating a sea route from Cyprus. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 17 Mar. 2024 On the internet, there are a ton of UFC betting options with great odds and lines that are just a click away. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Small-space living has led me to a ton of nifty home hacks. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ton.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English tunne unit of weight or capacity — more at tun

Noun (2)

borrowed from French, "pitch, tone, manner, style," going back to Old French, "sound of voices, voice quality," going back to Latin tonus "strain, tension, musical pitch, note" — more at tone entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Noun (2)

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near ton

Cite this Entry

“Ton.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ton. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ton

noun
ˈtən
plural tons also ton
1
2
3

More from Merriam-Webster on ton

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