Ship vs. Send — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 17, 2024
"Ship" implies transporting goods via a vehicle, often by sea or air, while "send" broadly means dispatching something, typically through various methods including mail, email, or courier.
Difference Between Ship and Send
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Ship" specifically refers to the transportation of goods, often in bulk, using vehicles such as ships, airplanes, or trucks. This term is heavily associated with commercial and large-scale logistics. For example, companies ship products to distributors or stores. "Send," on the other hand, has a broader application, referring to dispatching items or messages through various means. While you can send a package through the mail, you can also send an email, text message, or letter. The term is not restricted to commercial use and encompasses both physical and digital items.
When you ship an item, it often involves formal processes, tracking, and logistics services provided by companies like FedEx or UPS. This term implies a certain level of complexity and scale, usually associated with commerce and business operations. Sending something, however, can be as simple as mailing a postcard or emailing a document. It doesn't necessarily involve complex logistics or commercial transactions. Sending is often used in everyday language for personal and informal exchanges.
Shipping usually includes considerations of freight, packaging, and delivery schedules. It may involve significant planning and coordination, especially for international shipping, which includes customs and regulations. Sending, meanwhile, can be spontaneous and immediate, especially in the context of digital communication. Sending an email or text message is almost instantaneous and requires minimal planning compared to shipping goods.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Transport goods via a vehicle
Dispatch items or messages
Context
Commercial, large-scale logistics
Personal and informal exchanges
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Methods
Ships, airplanes, trucks
Mail, email, courier, digital platforms
Complexity
Involves formal processes and tracking
Can be simple and spontaneous
Scope
Specific to physical goods
Includes physical and digital items
Compare with Definitions
Ship
To transport goods by sea.
The company ships its products worldwide.
Send
To dispatch something to a destination.
Please send me the report by email.
Ship
To dispatch products to a specific location.
They ship fresh produce to several states.
Send
To cause something to go or be taken somewhere.
He sent a package to his friend.
Ship
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying goods or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished from boats, based on size, shape, load capacity, and tradition.
Send
To transmit a message or communication.
She sent a quick text to her colleague.
Ship
A vessel of considerable size for deep-water navigation.
Send
To cause to be conveyed by an intermediary to a destination
Send goods by plane.
Ship
A sailing vessel having three or more square-rigged masts.
Send
To dispatch, as by a communications medium
Send a message by radio.
Ship
An aircraft or spacecraft.
Send
To direct to go on a mission
Sent troops into the Middle East.
Ship
The crew of one of these vessels.
Send
To require or enable to go
Sent her children to college.
Ship
One's fortune
When my ship comes in, I'll move to a larger house.
Send
To direct (a person) to a source of information; refer
Sent the student to the reference section of the library.
Ship
To place or receive on board a ship
Shipped the cargo in the hold.
Send
To give off (heat, for example); emit or issue
A stove that sends forth great warmth.
Ship
To cause to be transported; send.
Send
To utter or otherwise emit (sound)
Sent forth a cry of pain.
Ship
(nautical) A water-borne vessel generally larger than a boat.
Send
To hit so as to direct or propel with force; drive
The batter sent the ball to left field. The slap on my back sent me staggering.
Ship
A vessel which travels through any medium other than across land, such as an airship or spaceship.
Send
To cause to take place or occur
We will meet whatever vicissitudes fate may send.
Ship
A spaceship (the type of pattern in a cellular automaton).
Send
To put or drive into a given state or condition
Horrifying news that sent them into a panic.
Ship
A sailing vessel with three or more square-rigged masts.
Send
(Slang) To transport with delight; carry away
That music really sends me.
Ship
A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship) used to hold incense.
Send
To dispatch someone to do an errand or convey a message
Let's send out for hamburgers.
Ship
(cartomancy) The third card of the Lenormand deck.
Send
To dispatch a request or order, especially by mail
Send away for a new catalogue.
Ship
(dated) An aircraft.
Send
To transmit a message or messages
The radio operator was still sending when the ship went down.
Ship
(fandom) A fictional romantic relationship between two characters, either real or themselves fictional, especially one explored in fan fiction.
Send
Variant of scend.
Ship
(transitive) To send by water-borne transport.
Send
To make something (such as an object or message) go from one place to another (or to someone).
Every day at two o'clock, he sends his secretary out to buy him a coffee.
She sends me a letter every month.
Ship
(transitive) To send (a parcel or container) to a recipient (by any means of transport).
To ship freight by railroad
Send
To excite, delight, or thrill (someone).
Ship
(ambitransitive) To release a product (not necessarily physical) to vendors or customers; to launch.
Our next issue ships early next year.
It compiles? Ship it!
Send
(transitive) To bring to a certain condition.
Ship
(ambitransitive) To engage to serve on board a vessel.
To ship seamen
I shipped on a man-of-war.
Send
To dispatch an agent or messenger to convey a message or do an errand.
Seeing how ill she was, we sent for a doctor at once.
Ship
(intransitive) To embark on a ship.
Send
(transitive) To cause to be or to happen; to bring, bring about; (archaic) to visit: (Referring to blessing or reward) To bestow; to grant. (Referring to curse or punishment) To inflict. Sometimes followed by a dependent proposition.
Ship
To put or secure in its place.
To ship the tiller or rudder
Send
To pitch.
Ship
(transitive) To take in (water) over the sides of a vessel.
We were shipping so much water I was sure we would capsize.
Send
To make a successful ascent of a sport climbing route.
She finally sent the 12a after hours of failed attempts.
Ship
Leave, depart, scram.
Send
To care.
Ship
To pass (from one person to another).
Can you ship me the ketchup?
Send
(telecommunications) An operation in which data is transmitted.
Ship
To go all in.
Send
An icon (usually on a computer screen and labeled with the word "Send") on which one clicks (with a mouse or its equivalent) or taps to transmit an email or other electronic message.
Good thing I didn't hit send on that resume; I just noticed a bad typo.
Ship
(sports) To trade or send a player to another team.
Twins ship Delmon Young to Tigers.
Send
(nautical) scend
Ship
(rugby) To bungle a kick and give the opposing team possession.
Send
(Scotland) A messenger, especially one sent to fetch the bride.
Ship
(fandom) To support or approve of a fictional romantic relationship between two characters, typically in fan fiction or other fandom contexts.
I ship Kirk and Spock in “Star Trek”.
I ship Peggy and Angie in “Marvel's Agent Carter”.
Send
A callout or diss usually aimed at a specific person, often in the form of a diss track.
Ship
Pay; reward.
In withholding or abridging of the ship or the hire or the wages of servants.
Send
(climbing) A successful ascent of a sport climbing route.
Ship
Any large seagoing vessel.
Like a stately ship . . . With all her bravery on, and tackle trim,Sails filled, and streamers waving.
Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
Send
To cause to go in any manner; to dispatch; to commission or direct to go; as, to send a messenger.
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Servants, sent on messages, stay out somewhat longer than the message requires.
Ship
Specifically, a vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts (a mainmast, a foremast, and a mizzenmast), each of which is composed of a lower mast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast, and square-rigged on all masts. See Illustation in Appendix.
Send
To give motion to; to cause to be borne or carried; to procure the going, transmission, or delivery of; as, to send a message.
He . . . sent letters by posts on horseback.
O send out thy light an thy truth; let them lead me.
Ship
A dish or utensil (originally fashioned like the hull of a ship) used to hold incense.
Send
To emit; to impel; to cast; to throw; to hurl; as, to send a ball, an arrow, or the like.
Ship
To put on board of a ship, or vessel of any kind, for transportation; to send by water.
The timber was . . . shipped in the bay of Attalia, from whence it was by sea transported to Pelusium.
Send
To cause to be or to happen; to bestow; to inflict; to grant; - sometimes followed by a dependent proposition.
The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke.
And sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
God send your mission may bring back peace.
Ship
By extension, in commercial usage, to commit to any conveyance for transportation to a distance; as, to ship freight by railroad.
Send
To dispatch an agent or messenger to convey a message, or to do an errand.
See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head?
Ship
Hence, to send away; to get rid of.
Send
To pitch; as, the ship sends forward so violently as to endanger her masts.
Ship
To engage or secure for service on board of a ship; as, to ship seamen.
Send
The impulse of a wave by which a vessel is carried bodily.
Ship
To receive on board ship; as, to ship a sea.
Send
Cause to go somewhere;
The explosion sent the car flying in the air
She sent her children to camp
He directed all his energies into his dissertation
Ship
To put in its place; as, to ship the tiller or rudder.
Send
To cause or order to be taken, directed, or transmitted to another place;
He had sent the dispatches downtown to the proper people and had slept
Ship
To engage to serve on board of a vessel; as, to ship on a man-of-war.
Send
Cause to be directed or transmitted to another place;
Send me your latest results
I'll mail you the paper when it's written
Ship
To embark on a ship.
Send
Transport commercially
Ship
A vessel that carries passengers or freight
Send
Assign to a station
Ship
Transport commercially
Send
Transfer;
The spy sent the classified information off to Russia
Ship
Hire for work on a ship
Send
Cause to be admitted; of persons to an institution;
After the second episode, she had to be committed
He was committed to prison
Ship
Go on board
Send
Broadcast over the airwaves, as in radio or television;
We cannot air this X-rated song
Ship
Travel by ship
Send
To direct someone to go somewhere.
The boss sent him to the meeting.
Ship
Place on board a ship;
Ship the cargo in the hold of the vessel
Send
To transfer data electronically.
The system sends updates automatically.
Ship
To send goods via any transportation method.
We will ship your order within three business days.
Ship
To load cargo onto a ship.
Workers were busy shipping crates onto the vessel.
Ship
To send something as freight.
They ship large machinery across the country.
Common Curiosities
What does "ship" mean in logistics?
"Ship" means transporting goods, typically in bulk, via sea, air, or land.
Is "send" appropriate for large-scale logistics?
"Send" can be used but "ship" is more specific for logistics.
Does "ship" always involve sea transport?
No, "ship" can refer to transport by air, land, or sea.
Do companies "ship" or "send" products?
Companies typically "ship" products.
What is the main difference between "ship" and "send"?
"Ship" focuses on transporting goods, while "send" broadly means dispatching items or messages.
Can you "send" data electronically?
Yes, "send" is commonly used for transferring electronic data.
Can you use "ship" for sending emails?
No, "ship" is not used for digital communication; "send" is appropriate.
Is "ship" used for personal items?
It can be, but "send" is more commonly used for personal items.
Do you "send" or "ship" a text message?
You "send" a text message.
Is "send" used in informal contexts?
Yes, "send" is commonly used in both informal and formal contexts.
Which term implies a formal process, "ship" or "send"?
"Ship" implies a more formal process.
Can "send" be used for physical goods?
Yes, "send" can be used for both physical goods and messages.
Can you "ship" a letter?
While you can, it's more common to say you "send" a letter.
Can "ship" be used in digital contexts?
No, "ship" is not used for digital contexts.
How do you "send" an email?
You compose the email and click the send button.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
