tractor

noun

trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
Synonyms of tractornext
1
a
: a 4-wheeled or tracklaying automotive vehicle used especially for drawing farm equipment
b
: a smaller 2-wheeled apparatus controlled through handlebars by a walking operator
c
: truck entry 1 sense 1b
2
: an airplane having the propeller forward of the main supporting surfaces

Illustration of tractor

Illustration of tractor
  • tractor 1a

Examples of tractor 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.
But in an ironic twist, part of the parking lot was underwater, a tractor had raised a berm to hold back the ocean, and just to the south, homes were being thrashed by waves. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026 Before tractors can mow down the cover crops and prep the fields for planting, the farm has to figure out how to check out its remaining guests without putting them in harm’s way. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 The wayward squash is now secured with paracord, baling twine and corkscrew spikes, with everything tied off to two tractors. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 Combatting it typically requires spraying synthetic fungicides from large tractors, which is expensive and harmful to farmworkers, soil, and wine quality. — Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tractor

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin trahere

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tractor was in 1900

Phrases Containing tractor

Rhymes for tractor

See All Rhymes for tractor

Browse Nearby Words

tractive effort
tractor
tractoration
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tractor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tractor. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tractor

noun
trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
1
: a vehicle that has large rear wheels or moves on tracks and is used especially for pulling farm implements
2
: a short truck with no body used in combination with a trailer for hauling freight

Medical Definition

tractor

noun
trac·​tor ˈtrak-tər How to pronounce tractor (audio)
: an instrument used to exert traction on a body part or tissue (as in surgical procedures)
a urethral tractor

More from Merriam-Webster on tractor

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tractor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tractor

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