Ton/tʌn/ Definition 1 of 5Pro Tip 1/2US Standard In the US, 'ton' typically means the short ton of 2000 pounds. The bridge's weight limit is 10 tons. Pro Tip 2/2Imperial vs Metric 'Ton' can refer to the imperial (long) ton or the metric tonne, which differ slightly in weight. Imported goods are measured in metric tonnes.