supertanker

noun

su·​per·​tank·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌtaŋ-kər 

plural supertankers

: an exceptionally large and fast cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying liquid (such as oil) in bulk

… vessels of more than 35,000 tons—large but no giants in a world of supertankers …

—William H. MacLeish

… interrupts the … discussion with a warning that supertankers carrying liquefied gas are extremely dangerous.

—John Hersey

Examples of supertanker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another supertanker booking to haul crude from the Middle East made on the same day fell through, people involved in the market said. —Alex Longley, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026

The largest supertankers carry up to 3 million barrels of crude. —Stan Choe, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026

Among the challenges is that replacing one supertanker shipment of oil by land requires about 10,000 trucks and significantly more fuel to transport. —Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Mar. 2026

Its long jetties jutt into waters that are deep enough to accommodate oil supertankers, making the island a critical site for oil distribution. —Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for supertanker

• anchor
• anker
• banker
• canker
• hanker
• rancor
• shanker
• tanker

Kids Definition

supertanker

noun

su·​per·​tank·​er

ˈsü-pər-ˌtaŋ-kər

: a very large cargo ship fitted with tanks for carrying large amounts of liquid