tow truck

American  

noun

1. wrecker.

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tow truck British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of tow truck

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

The roadside-assistance company Ortego works for pays for gas on the tow truck he was driving Thursday, which now takes $110 to fill up instead of the $70 it cost last month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Then all that’s left is the long, sad ride in the cab of a tow truck.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

“The only way I know it was a tow truck was because of our home cameras. It’s the same strategy, backing up and taking the car in minutes,” Zavala said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

At 6 a.m. in early December, an unlabeled white tow truck cruised into Jesse Roller’s Chino neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

There’s a loud clunk as the tow truck operator hooks a chain to ReelTok’s rental car.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman