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

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

He had hardly finished speaking before he dashed off and I saw the blue flash of his tank top.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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