Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

transportation

American  
[trans-per-tey-shuhn] / ˌtræns pərˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

transportations plural
  1. the act of transporting.

  2. the state of being transported.

  3. the means of transport or conveyance.

  4. the business of conveying people, goods, etc.

  5. price of travel or transport by public conveyance; fare.

  6. tickets or permits for transport or travel.

  7. banishment, as of a criminal to a penal colony; deportation.

  8. Also called Transportation Department(initial capital letter) the Department of Transportation.


transportation British  
/ ˌtrænspɔːˈteɪʃən /

noun

  1. a means or system of transporting

  2. the act of transporting or the state of being transported

  3. (esp formerly) deportation to a penal colony

  4. a ticket or fare

"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

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of transportation

First recorded in 1530–40; transport + -ation

Explanation

If you spend $60 a month on subway fare, then your monthly transportation cost is $60, meaning it costs you $60 each month to get from one place to another. The noun transportation often is used to describe the process of moving things. You might make transportation arrangements, for example, for shipping a pet across the country. Transportation can also refer to a formal system for moving things from place to place, like a public transportation system like the subway or public bus or a transportation company that specializes in moving goods from coast to coast.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing transportation

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.

Century City offers strong access to clients, our people, transportation corridors, and airport access,” Sofield said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026

To avoid transportation hassles around the city, they also rented two double-decker tour buses to ferry guests from the ceremony to the reception.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026

Jobs across a slew of major sectors remained largely stagnant, including in manufacturing, retail trade, transportation, financial activities.

From Barron's • Jul. 2, 2026

Various visa issues created unnecessary and embarrassing drama; high ticket prices and transportation issues were blamed for empty seats at some of the early games.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

She would have to avoid publicars or any other mode of transportation that would pinpoint her location, but she found the closer she got, the more her resolve hardened.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "transportation" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com