wagon

1 of 2

noun

wag·​on ˈwa-gən 

1

a

: a usually four-wheeled vehicle for transporting bulky commodities and drawn originally by animals

b

: a lighter typically horse-drawn vehicle for transporting goods or passengers

c

: paddy wagon

2

British : a railway freight car

3

: a low four-wheeled vehicle with an open rectangular body and a retroflex tongue made for the play or use of a child

4

: a small wheeled table used for the service of a dining room

the dessert wagon

5

: a delivery truck

a milk wagon

6

: station wagon

wagon

2 of 2

verb

wagoned; wagoning; wagons

intransitive verb

: to travel or transport goods by wagon

transitive verb

: to transport (goods) by wagon

Phrases

off the wagon

: in or into a state of no longer abstaining from alcoholic beverages

fell off the wagon

on the wagon

: in or into a state of abstaining from alcoholic beverages

Synonyms

Noun

• cart
• wain

Examples of wagon in a Sentence

Noun

Pioneers crossed the American Midwest in wagons.

He pulled his stuffed animals around in a little red wagon.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Wheeler Farm: Meet Santa on the farmhouse porch and take a wagon ride through the light displays 5-7pm each Friday through Dec. 20. —Erin Alberty, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024

Enquirer reports described people stealing pushcarts and running wagons into the canal (where Central Parkway is today). —Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 28 Nov. 2024

Verb

And Buck weaves in the fascinating history of the original Oregon Trail, revealing surprising details about everything from mules to wagon design to the tragedies the original pioneers faced. —The Editors, Outside Online, 1 June 2019

Chris Bobek, who lives a couple of blocks south of Harrer, pulled daughter Sophie, 3, in a classic fire-red Radio Flyer wagon up to the complex’s main entrance. —George Castle, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2022

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Dutch wagen, from Middle Dutch — more at wain

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1606, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing wagon

• chuck wagon
• coaster wagon
• Conestoga wagon
• covered wagon
• fall off the wagon
• hitch one's wagon to
• jolt-wagon
• on the water wagon
• patrol wagon
• spring wagon
• station wagon
• tea wagon
• wagon-lit
• wagon master
• wagon train
• water wagon

Kids Definition

wagon

noun

wag·​on

ˈwag-ən

1

a

: a usually four-wheeled vehicle for transporting goods or passengers

especially : one drawn by animals

b

: patrol wagon

2

: a low four-wheeled vehicle with an open rectangular body for the play or use of a child

3

: station wagon

wagoner

ˈwag-ə-nər

noun