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
William H. MacLeish… interrupts the … discussion with a warning that supertankers carrying liquefied gas are extremely dangerous.—John Hersey
John HerseyExamples of supertanker in a Sentence
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The company later became known for environmental damage, most notably for causing one of the worst oil spills in history when its supertanker, the Exxon Valdez, spewed millions of gallons of crude oil off Alaska that blackened shorelines and killed marine life.
—Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Fars reported earlier this morning that an Iranian supertanker entered Iranian waters by passing through the open sea and the Strait of Hormuz with its transponder on.
—Alexandra Bacallao, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
This chimes with information from TankerTrackers, a maritime intelligence firm, which says 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude and 4 million barrels of Saudi crude exited the strait Saturday on board three supertankers.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two Chinese supertankers and a Greek vessel exited the gulf via Hormuz, laden with crude.
—Weilun Soon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
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Alex Kuffner, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Fars reported earlier this morning that an Iranian supertanker entered Iranian waters by passing through the open sea and the Strait of Hormuz with its transponder on.
—Alexandra Bacallao, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
This chimes with information from TankerTrackers, a maritime intelligence firm, which says 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude and 4 million barrels of Saudi crude exited the strait Saturday on board three supertankers.
—Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two Chinese supertankers and a Greek vessel exited the gulf via Hormuz, laden with crude.
—Weilun Soon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for supertanker
Cite this Entry
“Supertanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supertanker. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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