# ton

/ˈtən/ (US) · /tˈʌn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ton
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. unit of weight

noun · CEFR B1

a unit of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms or 2,000 pounds.

For teachers: a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms (metric ton) or 2,000/2,240 pounds (short/long ton).

- The truck was carrying several tons of steel to the construction site.
- The shipping container was rated to carry up to twenty tons of cargo, though the port authorities rarely allowed it to be filled to capacity.

### 2. a large amount

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a lot of something; a very large amount.

For teachers: a figurative, hyperbolic expression for a large or overwhelming quantity.

- I have a ton of homework to finish before I can go out tonight.
- Despite having a ton of experience in the field, the consultant found the new software architecture surprisingly difficult to navigate.

### 3. one hundred

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

the number one hundred, especially a score in a game or a speed.

For teachers: a colloquial term for the number one hundred, frequently used in the context of cricket scores or vehicle speeds.

- The batsman was delighted to reach his ton before the end of the match.
- He was caught doing a ton on the motorway and faced an immediate suspension of his driving licence.

Usage: Often used with the definite article as 'the ton' when referring to speed.

### 4. fashionable society

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

the people who are considered fashionable or high-class.

For teachers: the prevailing fashion or style; specifically, the elite or fashionable society of a particular period.

- The young duchess was considered the leader of the ton that season.
- In Regency novels, characters are often preoccupied with their standing among the ton and the strict social codes of the era.

Teaching tip: This sense is almost exclusively found in historical fiction or period dramas set in the 18th or 19th century.

## Examples

- I have a ton of work to do today.
- The new restaurant has a ton of great reviews online, so we should probably book a table early.
- While the technical report was dry, the presenter managed to inject a ton of personality into the summary, making the complex data accessible to the board.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.