What does "ton" mean?
Any of various units of mass, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The short ton of 2000 pounds (about 907 kg), 20 hundredweights of 100 pounds avoirdupois each.
Ton
/tʌn/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of various units of mass, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The short ton of 2000 pounds (about 907 kg), 20 hundredweights of 100 pounds avoirdupois each.
- Grammar: ton is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a lot, beautiful people, cry, dram.
- Useful contrasts: common people, few, gram.
- Usage evidence: This box weighs a ton. What's inside?
How to use "ton"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ton" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ton" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ton" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ton" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ton" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a lot" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ton", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any of various units of mass, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The short ton of 2000 pounds (about 907 kg), 20 hundredweights of 100 pounds avoirdupois each.
- 2 Fashion, the current style, the vogue. uncountable
"A clergyman cannot be high in state or fashion. He must not head mobs, or set the ton in dress."
- 3 Synonym of tunny, particularly the common tunny or horse mackerel.
- 4 Initialism of threshold odor number. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 5 a British unit of weight equivalent to 2240 pounds wordnet
Show 12 more definitions
- 6 Any of various units of mass, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The long ton of 2240 pounds (about 1016 kg), 20 hundredweights of 112 pounds avoirdupois each.
- 7 Fashionable society; those in style. uncountable
"[S]he thought herself incapable of being flattered by the attentions of a man she despised, because he was the reigning idol of the ton […]."
- 8 a United States unit of weight equivalent to 2000 pounds wordnet
- 9 Any of various units of mass, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The metric ton of 1000 kilograms (about 2205 lb), 10 quintals of 100 kilograms each.
- 10 Any of various units of volume, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The measurement ton of (US) 40 or (UK) 42 cubic feet (about 1.1 or 1.2 m³).
- 11 Any of various units of volume, originally notionally equal to the contents of a tun; The register ton of 100 cubic feet (about 2.83 m³).
- 12 Any large, excessive, or overwhelming amount of anything. figuratively
"I’ve got a ton of work to do."
- 13 A unit of thermal power equal to 12,000 BTU/h (about 3.5 kW), approximating the idealized rate of cooling provided by uniform isothermal melting of 1 short ton of ice per day at 0°C.
"Their main problem is that they somehow believe that a 12-ton unit can handle this entire building."
- 14 Synonym of hundred; 100 pounds sterling. UK, colloquial
- 15 Synonym of hundred; 100 points. UK, colloquial, usually
- 16 Synonym of hundred; 100 runs. UK, colloquial
- 17 Synonym of hundred; A speed of 100 mph. UK, colloquial
"Speed along the lane / Do a ton or a ton and twenty-five"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"This box weighs a ton. What's inside?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ton"?
Common synonyms include: a lot, beautiful people, cry, dram, dyne, fashion.
How do you use "ton" in a sentence?
This box weighs a ton. What's inside?
How do you pronounce "ton"?
Pronounced /tʌn/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Variant of tun (“cask”), influenced by Old French tonne (“ton”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from French ton (“manner”), from Latin tonus. Doublet of tone, tune, and tonus.