supertanker

noun

su·​per·​tank·​er ˈsü-pər-ˌtaŋ-kər How to pronounce supertanker (audio)
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 supertankersWilliam 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Managers of offshore oil rigs, supertankers, and Antarctic research stations all appreciate the importance of food to maintaining group morale and productivity in isolated, remote, and confined situations. Nicola Twilley, WIRED, 11 Feb. 2020 Satellite imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on Sept. 25 shows a number of VLCC supertankers in the waters around Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal. Natasha Turak, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2024 Satellite imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on Sept. 25 shows a number of VLCC (very large crude carrier) supertankers in the waters around Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal. Natasha Turak, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2024 Real estate policy support is like turning a supertanker. Brendan Ahern, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for supertanker 

Word History

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of supertanker was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near supertanker

Cite this Entry

“Supertanker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supertanker. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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

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