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Synonyms

liner

1 American  
[lahy-ner] / ˈlaɪ nər /

noun

  1. a ship or airplane operated by a transportation or conveyance company.

  2. eyeliner.

  3. Baseball. line drive.

  4. a person or thing that traces by or marks with lines.

  5. ship of the line.

liner 2 American  
[lahy-ner] / ˈlaɪ nər /

noun

  1. something serving as a lining.

  2. a protective covering, usually of cardboard, for a phonograph record; album; jacket.

  3. a person who fits or provides linings.

liner 1 British  
/ ˈlaɪnə /

noun

  1. a passenger ship or aircraft, esp one that is part of a commercial fleet

  2. See Freightliner

  3. Also called: eye liner.  a cosmetic used to outline the eyes, consisting of a liquid or cake mixed with water and applied by brush or a grease pencil

  4. a person or thing that uses lines, esp in drawing or copying

"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
liner 2 British  
/ ˈlaɪnə /

noun

  1. a material used as a lining

  2. a person who supplies or fits linings

  3. engineering a sleeve, usually of a metal that will withstand wear or corrosion, fixed inside or outside a structural component or vessel

    cylinder liner
"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 liner1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; line 1, + -er 1 ( def. )

Origin of liner2

First recorded in 1605–15; line 2 + -er 1

Vocabulary lists containing liner

Unit 5, Words to Know

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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.

United has positioned itself as the domestic “luxury” liner.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

As part of the deal, the special stake will be transferred to a carved-out container liner business owned by Israeli private equity fund FIMI.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

He worked as a steward on the QE2 liner and later ran The Ferry Boat pub in Norwich's red-light district.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The set is accompanied by fantastic liner notes from the great Elizabeth Nelson — and even if you think you’ve already read everything written about The Replacements, you’ll learn something.

From Salon • Dec. 9, 2025

And down below, on the planet’s bleak gray surface, there were exactly 1,024 copies of Megadon, the domed city described in the liner notes.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.