tank top

American

noun

a close-fitting, low-cut top having shoulder straps and often made of lightweight, knitted fabric.

tank top British

noun

a sleeveless upper garment with wide shoulder straps and a low neck, usually worn over a shirt, blouse, or jumper

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

tank tops

plural

Etymology

Origin of tank top

First recorded in 1945–50

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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.

Browne, 29, has tickets to a spring music festival in Washington and has already picked out a tank top shaped like a butterfly for the event.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

PC Rogers recalled one man, who the jury heard was " 30-40, 6ft 2, large and muscular" and "wearing a tank top".

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2025

“Syd’s Picks,” a collection of Sweeney’s favorite American Eagle items—including a low-rise jean, lace tank top and utility jacket—will continue to be featured on its website.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 30, 2025

These materials are the difference between a dark winter sweater and a bright summer tank top, a luxurious cashmere scarf versus rough woolen mittens.

From Slate • Sep. 2, 2025

I had to lift the neckline of my tank top to cover my mouth and nose, just to get within ten feet of the thing.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

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