Meaning & use
a fleet
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Meanings
nouncountable
A group of ships, especially warships, sailing or operating together.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'of': a fleet of ships.
Patterns
- a fleet of ships
- the fleet
- join the fleet
The country sent a fleet of ships to protect the coast.
The fishing fleet returned to the harbor before the storm.
A fleet of warships was anchored outside the bay.
nouncountablebusiness
All the vehicles, aircraft, or machines owned or used by one company, organization, or person.
Grammar: Common in business and transport contexts.
Patterns
- a fleet of cars
- the company fleet
- a fleet of trucks
The delivery company has a fleet of 200 electric vans.
The airline is replacing its fleet with more fuel-efficient planes.
He manages the fleet for a large car-rental business.
Word forms
| plural | fleets |
|---|
Common combinations
- fishing fleet
- The fishing fleet left the harbor at dawn.
- a fleet of vehicles
- The council owns a fleet of vehicles for its workers.
- the company fleet
- All company fleet cars must be serviced regularly.
- fleet of ships
- A fleet of ships arrived at the port.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- fleeting adjective
- Lasting only a short time.
Commonly confused: a fleet or fleet?
a fleet vs fleet
As an adjective, 'fleet' means fast or nimble, as in 'fleet of foot'. Do not confuse it with 'fleet' meaning a group of ships.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fleet' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Fleet' means a group of vehicles or ships, so 'a fleet of delivery vans' is correct. 'Fleet' cannot mean a feeling, a type of food, or a taste.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a fleet”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.