VOCABULARY
TOEIC Logistics & Shipping Vocabulary
40 essential TOEIC vocabulary words for the Logistics & Shipping category, each with a definition and an example sentence. These words appear frequently in Parts 3, 4, and 7.
Category: Logistics & Shipping40 Key Terms
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Mastering Logistics & Shipping vocabulary is crucial because these themes span across multiple parts of the test. Recognizing the context immediately improves both your listening and reading speed.
Key Terms
| Word | Meaning | Example | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| shipment | A quantity of goods sent together | The shipment was delayed at customs. | Easy |
| inventory | The complete stock of goods a business holds | We take inventory before the end of the year. | Medium |
| freight | Goods transported in bulk | Air freight is faster but more expensive. | Hard |
| warehouse | A large building for storing goods | The warehouse operates around the clock. | Easy |
| supplier | A company that provides goods or materials | Our supplier raised prices in January. | Easy |
| distributor | A company that supplies goods to retailers | The distributor covers the entire west coast. | Medium |
| consignment | A batch of goods sent to a destination | The consignment arrives Tuesday morning. | Hard |
| customs | The official department that inspects imported goods | Clearing customs took an extra two days. | Medium |
| tariff | A tax on imported or exported goods | New tariffs increased the cost per unit. | Hard |
| carrier | A company that transports goods | We switched carriers to cut delivery times. | Medium |
| dispatch | To send goods off to a destination | Orders placed before noon are dispatched the same day. | Medium |
| expedite | To make a process happen more quickly | Please expedite the order for our largest client. | Hard |
| procurement | The process of obtaining supplies for a business | Procurement approved the new vendor. | Hard |
| logistics | The coordination of moving goods and resources | Logistics costs account for a fifth of the total. | Medium |
| pallet | A flat platform used to move stacked goods | Each pallet holds forty-eight cartons. | Medium |
| container | A large standardized box for shipping cargo | Two containers were loaded at the port. | Easy |
| cargo | Goods carried by ship, aircraft, or truck | The cargo was insured for its full value. | Easy |
| backorder | An order for an item currently out of stock | The item is on backorder until March. | Medium |
| restock | To fill up a supply of goods again | We restock the shelves every Monday. | Easy |
| surcharge | An additional charge added to a price | A fuel surcharge applies to overseas deliveries. | Medium |
| in transit | Currently being transported to a destination | Your package is in transit and arrives Thursday. | Easy |
| lead time | The time between ordering and receiving goods | Lead time on custom parts is six weeks. | Medium |
| bulk | A large quantity bought or sold at once | Buying in bulk lowers the unit price. | Easy |
| perishable | Likely to spoil or decay quickly | Perishable goods travel in refrigerated trucks. | Hard |
| fragile | Easily broken or damaged | Mark the box fragile before shipping. | Easy |
| warehouse manifest | A document listing the contents of a shipment | Check the manifest against the delivery. | Hard |
| fulfilment | The process of completing and shipping an order | A third party handles order fulfilment. | Medium |
| courier | A company or person delivering packages | A courier will collect the documents at three. | Easy |
| warehouse capacity | The maximum amount a storage facility can hold | We are operating at ninety percent of warehouse capacity. | Medium |
| reroute | To send along a different path | Storms forced the carrier to reroute the shipment. | Medium |
| unload | To remove goods from a vehicle | The crew unloaded the truck in under an hour. | Easy |
| warehouse audit | A formal check of stored stock | The warehouse audit found a small discrepancy. | Medium |
| obsolete | No longer produced or used | Obsolete parts were removed from inventory. | Hard |
| shortage | A situation where there is not enough of something | A chip shortage delayed production. | Medium |
| warehouse relocation | The move of storage operations to a new site | The warehouse relocation finishes in August. | Medium |
| freight forwarder | A firm that arranges shipping on a client's behalf | Our freight forwarder handles all export paperwork. | Hard |
| bill of lading | A document listing goods being shipped | Sign the bill of lading when the driver arrives. | Hard |
| warehouse staff | Employees who handle stored goods | Warehouse staff work in two shifts. | Easy |
| traceable | Able to be tracked to its origin or location | Every parcel is traceable through the portal. | Medium |
| quota | A fixed limit on quantity | The import quota was raised this year. | Hard |
Frequently asked questions
Why is Logistics & Shipping vocabulary important for TOEIC?
A significant portion of TOEIC test questions are set in Logistics & Shipping contexts. Knowing these terms allows you to understand the situation immediately without guessing.
What is the best way to study these words?
Study the words within their example sentences rather than in isolation, and pay attention to their collocations — the words that frequently appear alongside them.
How long does it take to learn these 40 words?
At 10 words per day, one pass through this list takes about 4 days. Reviewing the same words the next day and again a week later is what makes them stick.
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