tar sand
noun
: a natural impregnation of sand or sandstone with petroleum from which the lighter portions have escaped
Examples of tar sand in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most Canadian oil comes from Alberta’s tar sands region, where the oil looks like asphalt, molasses or coffee grounds.
—
Ella Nilsen, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
American companies that work there—in the Canadian tar sands or in the North Sea’s oil fields, for example—will still have to make these disclosures.
—Matt Mossman, Foreign Affairs, 28 Mar. 2017
Vaillant weaves together the story of the tar sands industry, the impacts of climate change and the white-knuckle evacuation of the town into a frightening wake-up call of our new reality concerning wildfires.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
Fort McMurray is in the middle of Alberta’s tar sands, or bituminous sands.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tar sand
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.
Ella Nilsen, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
American companies that work there—in the Canadian tar sands or in the North Sea’s oil fields, for example—will still have to make these disclosures.
—Matt Mossman, Foreign Affairs, 28 Mar. 2017
Vaillant weaves together the story of the tar sands industry, the impacts of climate change and the white-knuckle evacuation of the town into a frightening wake-up call of our new reality concerning wildfires.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
Fort McMurray is in the middle of Alberta’s tar sands, or bituminous sands.
—Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for tar sand
Cite this Entry
“Tar sand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tar%20sand. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share