freighting

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitivebusiness

   Present participle of freight: sending goods by ship, plane, train or truck, usually in large quantities.

   Grammar: Takes an object: freighting machinery to Asia.

   Patterns

   • freighting something to somewhere
   • freighting something by sea

   The company is freighting car parts to Mexico by rail.

   They are freighting fresh flowers from Kenya every week.

   We are freighting the equipment overseas this month.

2. 2noununcountablebusiness

   The business or activity of transporting goods commercially in bulk.

   Grammar: Used as a noun for the business: freighting is expensive here.

   Patterns

   • the freighting of something

   Freighting by air costs more than by sea.

   Her family has worked in freighting for three generations.

   The freighting of oil requires special tanks.

Word forms

Common combinations

freighting goods

The firm specializes in freighting goods across the Atlantic.

freighting by air

Freighting by air is the fastest option.

freighting cargo

They are freighting cargo to the port.

freighting costs

Rising freighting costs forced the company to raise prices.

Synonyms and how they differ

shipping

Shipping is the everyday word for sending goods, even small parcels, while freighting suggests large commercial loads.

transporting

Transporting is general and covers any carrying of people or things.

hauling

Hauling is informal and implies heavy loads moved by truck or train.

carrying

Carrying is plain and can involve small loads or people.

Word family

freight noun

goods transported in bulk

freighter noun

a ship or plane that carries cargo

freightage noun

the charge or process of transporting cargo

freighted adjective

loaded with cargo, or burdened

Commonly confused: freighting or fretting?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “freighting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words