Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

tow truck

American  

noun

  1. wrecker.


tow truck British  

noun

  1. Also called: breakdown van.   wrecker.  a motor vehicle equipped for towing away wrecked or disabled cars

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tow truck

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tow truck driver Keith Hickman said he saw abandoned cars “floating like boats” in the streets of Fort Lauderdale.

From Washington Times • Apr. 13, 2023

Tow truck driver Edgar Plata spent most of a recent Monday as he often does these days, picking up the pieces after a spree of catalytic converter thefts.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 20, 2022

Tow truck companies mobilized to clear the road as quickly as possible.

From New York Times • Dec. 22, 2019