shipping

shipping — noun

1. all the ships that belong to a particular country, company, or industry, thought

1.nounB2
Definition

all the ships that belong to a particular country, company, or industry, thought of as a group that carries goods or people across the sea

Example

The country's merchant shipping was badly damaged during the war, leaving many ports empty.

collocation: merchant shipping

International shipping routes across the Pacific Ocean are among the busiest in the world.

collocation: shipping routes

Common collocations
  • merchant shipping
  • international shipping
  • coastal shipping
  • shipping lane
  • shipping route
  • shipping tonnage
Synonyms
  • fleet

    refers specifically to a group of ships owned by one company or navy; narrower than shipping

  • vessels

    refers to individual ships or boats; more technical and used in legal or official contexts

  • tonnage

    focuses on the carrying capacity or weight of ships; used as a measure rather than a collective term

2. the business or activity of transporting products and packages between different

2.nounB1
Definition

the business or activity of transporting products and packages between different locations by truck, plane, train, ship, or other methods

Example

Amihan checked the shipping costs before choosing a company for her online store.

collocation: shipping costs

The table arrived with a large scratch because the shipping company had handled it carelessly.

collocation: shipping company

Common collocations
  • shipping costs
  • shipping address
  • shipping company
  • free shipping
  • shipping fee
  • shipping label
  • international shipping
  • shipping information
Synonyms
  • freight

    refers to the goods being carried rather than the activity; often used for heavy commercial cargo

  • transport

    broader term covering movement of people as well as goods; less specific to commercial sending of packages

  • delivery

    focuses on the final stage of bringing goods to the recipient; narrower in scope than shipping

Usage Note

Despite the word's origin in ship transport, this sense now covers all modes of transport, including truck, rail, air, and courier services. The shipping industry is a major part of global trade and e-commerce.

Common Mistakes

I need to pay the shipping cost for my flight ticket.
I need to pay the shipping cost for my online order.
'shipping' refers to sending goods, not travelling as a passenger.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Shipping, freight, transport, carriage, and delivery all relate to moving things from one place to another, but they differ in scope and context. Shipping is the broadest commercial term for sending packages and goods, especially in the context of online orders and logistics. Freight specifically refers to goods carried in bulk by commercial transport — you say 'freight train' but not 'shipping train.' Transport is the most general word, covering people as well as goods, and is used across all modes. Carriage is more formal and often appears in legal or insurance contexts ('carriage of goods by sea'). Delivery emphasizes the final act of handing goods to the recipient — you wait for a 'delivery' at your door, but 'shipping' covers the whole journey from sender to receiver. For example, an online shopper pays 'shipping costs' at checkout, the package travels via a 'shipping company,' and the 'delivery' happens when it arrives at their door.

freight ↗transportcarriagedelivery ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • shipping industry

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Shipping comes from the Old English word scip (meaning a ship) with the -ing suffix, which turns a verb into a noun describing an activity or its result. The verb 'to ship' originally meant 'to send or transport by ship,' but from the mid-20th century it expanded to cover transport by any means. The noun 'shipping' has followed this same path: first referring to ships as a collective group, then to the activity of sending goods whether or not a ship is involved.