big rig

noun

plural big rigs
US
: a large truck with an attached trailer that is used for hauling freight : semitrailer sense 2
A father and grandfather, Brubaker worked behind the wheel of a big rig for over a decade before transferring to a supervisory role.—Deirdre Reilly
He formerly drove a big rig for a freight company.—Jim Kleinpeter

Examples of big rig 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.
Their big rigs get about a paltry six miles to the gallon and filling their tanks in the Golden State now costs up to $2,500 a pop. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 The big rig manufacturer claims NOx emissions are 83% lower on this engine, while particulate matter has been cut by 50%. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 15 Oct. 2026 The cab of the big rig caught fire, but the trailer, which was carrying wood pallets, did not burn. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Fred bought a pickup truck, a Mustang and his very own big rig; his lifelong dream was to be a long-haul trucker. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for big rig

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big rig was in 1946

Rhymes for big rig

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Browse Nearby Words

bigram
big rig
Big Rip
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big rig.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20rig. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

big rig

noun
: semitrailer sense 2
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