Lorry vs Truck

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Lorry

Top 5,000 (fairly common)A2noun

Truck

Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Most common: Truck
 LorryTruck
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ˈlɒri/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈlɔːri/"]/🇬🇧 /["/trʌk/"]/🇺🇸 /["/trʌk/"]/
MeaningA large vehicle for transporting goods.A large vehicle that carries goods.
Examplea lorry driverThe truck delivered new furniture to our house today.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 5,000 (fairly common)Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR levelA2A2
Part of speechnounnoun
Collocationsbig, heavy, huge, convoy, drive, be laden with something, carry something, travel, driver, load, a lorry sheds its loadbig, heavy, heavy-duty, convoy, fleet, drive, park, load, drive, roll, rumble, driver, stop, bed, railway, cattle, coal, pull, big, heavy, heavy-duty, convoy, fleet, drive, park, load, drive, roll, rumble, driver, stop, bed
Antonymscar, bikecar, bicycle
Common mistakesConfused with 'truck' in American English., Used inappropriately in context where smaller vehicles are mentioned., Often spelled incorrectly as 'lory'.Confused with 'van' or 'lorry'., Using 'trucks' as a verb instead of a noun.
Usage notesUsed mainly in British English. In American English, it is referred to as a 'truck'. Suitable for both informal and formal contexts.Used in everyday conversation. Not used in formal writing. Commonly seen in discussions about transportation or logistics.

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Truck

Frequently asked questions: Lorry vs Truck

What's the difference between Lorry and Truck?

Lorry: A large vehicle for transporting goods. Truck: A large vehicle that carries goods.

Which is more common: Lorry and Truck?

Truck is the most common in everyday English.

Are Lorry and Truck the same CEFR level?

Lorry: A2, Truck: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Lorry and Truck?

Lorry: noun, Truck: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Lorry: a lorry driver Truck: The truck delivered new furniture to our house today.

Can I use Lorry and Truck interchangeably?

Not always. Lorry and Truck are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.