Cart vs. Basket — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 21, 2024
A cart is a wheeled vehicle typically used for transporting heavy items, while a basket is a container usually made of woven materials for carrying lighter goods.
Difference Between Cart and Basket
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
A cart is equipped with wheels and is designed for pushing or pulling to transport items, which makes it suitable for heavier loads. On the other hand, a basket is typically carried by hand or on the arm, making it more appropriate for lighter, smaller items.
Most carts are structured with a metal or wooden frame that supports a significant amount of weight, whereas baskets are often made from flexible materials like wicker, plastic, or wire, which are less capable of handling heavy stress.
Carts usually require more storage space due to their rigid and larger structure. In contrast, many baskets are designed to be collapsible or stackable, offering a more space-efficient solution when not in use.
In terms of mobility, the presence of wheels in carts allows for easy movement over various surfaces, making them ideal for shopping or garden work. Baskets, however, are limited to being carried, which restricts their use to lighter tasks and shorter distances.
The design of carts often includes features such as handles and sometimes even braking systems, which enhance their functionality in industrial or retail environments. Baskets are simpler, with a focus on portability and aesthetic appeal, often featuring decorative designs.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Material
Typically metal or wood
Usually made of woven materials like wicker
Mobility
Equipped with wheels for easier transportation
Designed to be carried by hand
Storage
Larger and requires more space
Often collapsible or stackable
Load Capacity
Suitable for heavier loads
Best for lighter, smaller items
Functional Features
May include handles, shelves, or brakes
Generally simpler, may have handles
Compare with Definitions
Cart
A virtual interface for accumulating purchasable items online.
She added the dress and shoes to her online cart.
Basket
A receptacle used in sports, like basketball, to score points.
He threw the ball toward the basket, scoring two points.
Cart
A wheeled vehicle used for transporting goods.
She used a cart to move the boxes across the warehouse.
Basket
An element in a hot air balloon that carries passengers.
They climbed into the basket, ready for their flight.
Cart
A two-wheeled vehicle drawn by an animal.
The farmer loaded hay onto the cart for delivery.
Basket
A container made of woven materials used for carrying items.
She filled the basket with fresh fruit from the market.
Cart
A portable stand or counter on wheels used in street vending.
The coffee cart at the corner serves excellent espresso.
Basket
A figurative collection of investments or currencies.
The fund created a basket of diversified stocks for stability.
Cart
A small wheeled device often used in shopping centers.
He grabbed a cart at the entrance to carry his groceries.
Basket
A symbol for storing items temporarily in software applications.
Items placed in the basket can be reviewed before purchase.
Cart
A cart or dray (Aus. & NZ) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals.
Basket
A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehair, baleen, or metal wire can be used.
Cart
A small wheeled vehicle typically pushed by hand
A shopping cart.
A pastry cart.
Basket
A container used to hold or carry things, typically made from interwoven strips of cane or wire
A shopping basket
She dropped the letter into the waste-paper basket
A laundry basket
Cart
A two-wheeled vehicle drawn by an animal and used in farm work and for transporting goods.
Basket
A net fixed on a hoop used as the goal.
Cart
The quantity that a cart can hold.
Basket
Euphemism for bastard (sense 1 of the noun)
You silly basket
Cart
An open two-wheeled carriage.
Basket
A container made of interwoven material, such as rushes or twigs.
Cart
A light motorized vehicle
A golf cart.
Basket
The amount that a basket can hold.
Cart
To convey in a cart or truck
Cart away garbage.
Basket
An item resembling such a container in shape or function.
Cart
To convey laboriously or unceremoniously; lug
Carted the whole gang off to jail.
Basket
A usually open gondola suspended from a hot-air balloon.
Cart
A small, open, wheeled vehicle, drawn or pushed by a person or animal, more often used for transporting goods than passengers.
The grocer delivered his goods by cart.
Basket
A group of related things, such as financial securities or products in a specific market.
Cart
A small motor vehicle resembling a car; a go-cart.
Basket
Either of the two goals normally elevated ten feet above the floor, consisting of a metal hoop from which an open-bottomed circular net is suspended.
Cart
(Internet) A shopping cart.
Basket
A field goal.
Cart
A tape cartridge used for pre-recorded material such as jingles and advertisements.
Basket
(Sports) A usually circular or star-shaped structure at the base of a ski pole, used to prevent the pole from sinking too deeply into the snow.
Cart
A cartridge for a video game system.
My Final Fantasy cart on the NES is still alive and kicking.
Basket
A lightweight container, generally round, open at the top, and tapering toward the bottom.
A basket of fake fruit adorned the table.
Cart
(transitive) To carry or convey in a cart.
Basket
(by extension) A bed for a cat.
Cart
To carry goods.
I've been carting these things around all day.
Basket
A wire or plastic container similar in shape to a basket, used for carrying articles for purchase in a shop.
Cart
(transitive) To remove, especially involuntarily or for disposal.
Basket
(internet) In an online shop, a listing of a customer's chosen items before they are ordered.
Cart
To expose in a cart by way of punishment.
Basket
(figurative) A set or collection of intangible things.
Cart
A common name for various kinds of vehicles, as a Scythian dwelling on wheels, or a chariot.
Basket
(basketball) A circular hoop, from which a net is suspended, which is the goal through which the players try to throw the ball.
The point guard drove toward the basket.
Cart
A two-wheeled vehicle for the ordinary purposes of husbandry, or for transporting bulky and heavy articles.
Packing all his goods in one poor cart.
Basket
(basketball) The act of putting the ball through the basket, thereby scoring points.
The last-second basket sealed the victory.
Cart
A light business wagon used by bakers, grocerymen, butchers, etc.
Basket
(uncountable) The game of basketball.
Let's play some basket.
Cart
An open two-wheeled pleasure carriage.
Basket
A dance movement in some line dances, where men put their arms round the women's lower backs, and the women put their arms over the men's shoulders, and the group (usually of four, any more is difficult) spins round, which should result in the women's feet leaving the ground.
Cart
To carry or convey in a cart.
Basket
The male genitalia and region surrounding it.
Cart
To expose in a cart by way of punishment.
She chuckled when a bawd was carted.
Basket
(slang) The bulge of the male genitals seen through clothing.
Cart
To carry burdens in a cart; to follow the business of a carter.
Basket
(obsolete) In a stage-coach, two outside seats facing each other.
Cart
A heavy open wagon usually having two wheels and drawn by an animal
Basket
(archaic) A protection for the hand on a sword or a singlestick; a guard of a bladed weapon.
Cart
Wheeled vehicle that can be pushed by a person; may have one or two or four wheels;
He used a handcart to carry the rocks away
Their pushcart was piled high with groceries
Basket
A singlestick with a basket hilt.
Cart
Draw slowly or heavily;
Haul stones
Haul nets
Basket
(ballooning) The gondola or wicker basket suspended from the balloon, in which the pilot and passengers travel.
Cart
Transport something in a cart
Basket
(architecture) The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital.
Basket
Bastard.
Wait till I catch you, you little basket!
Basket
A drogue (or para-drogue) in the probe-and-drogue refueling method
Don't smoosh the basket.
Basket
(transitive) To place in a basket or baskets.
Basket
To cross-collateralize the royalty advances for multiple works so that the creator is not paid until all of those works have achieved a certain level of success.
Basket
A vessel made of osiers or other twigs, cane, rushes, splints, or other flexible material, interwoven.
Basket
The contents of a basket; as much as a basket contains; as, a basket of peaches.
Basket
The bell or vase of the Corinthian capital.
Basket
The two back seats facing one another on the outside of a stagecoach.
Basket
A container shaped like a basket{1}, even if made of solid material rather than woven; - the top is often, but not always, open and without a lid.
Basket
A vessel suspended below a balloon, designed to carry people or measuring instruments for scientific research.
Basket
A goal{3} consisting of a short cylindrical net suspended from a circular rim, which itself is attached at about ten feet above floor level to a backboard, placed at the end of a basketball court. In professional basketball, two such baskets are used, one at each end of the court, and each team may score only by passing the ball though its own basket. In informal games, only one such basket is often used.
Basket
An instance of scoring points by throwing the basketball through the basket; as, he threw four baskets in the first quarter; - the ball must pass through the basket from above in order to score points.
Basket
To put into a basket.
Basket
A container that is usually woven and has handles
Basket
The quantity contained in a basket
Basket
Horizontal hoop with a net through which players try to throw the basketball
Basket
A score in basketball made by throwing the ball through the hoop
Common Curiosities
Are there different types of carts?
Yes, there are various types, including shopping carts, platform carts, and utility carts.
Can baskets handle as much weight as carts?
No, baskets are designed for lighter items and cannot support as much weight as carts.
What is a cart typically made from?
Carts are usually made from durable materials like metal or wood.
How is a basket different from a cart in terms of mobility?
Baskets are carried by hand, while carts are moved by wheels.
Can both carts and baskets be used for shopping?
Yes, but carts are typically used for larger grocery hauls, while baskets are for lighter shopping.
What are some decorative uses for baskets?
Baskets are frequently used for home decor or as gift containers.
What are common materials used to make baskets?
Baskets are often made from wicker, straw, or other woven materials.
Are baskets eco-friendlier than carts?
Baskets can be eco-friendlier as they are often made from natural, biodegradable materials.
Is it easier to store a cart or a basket when not in use?
Baskets are often more space-efficient as many are collapsible.
Do carts have features that baskets don’t?
Yes, some carts have handles, brakes, and shelves for added functionality.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Gm vs. Gram
Next Comparison
Input vs. FeedbackAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
