1
: a person who oils something
2
: a receptacle or device for applying oil
3
4
: an auxiliary naval vessel used for refueling at sea
Examples of oiler in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Upon reviewing a memorandum from the Office of the Secretary of Defense and interviews with unnamed officials, Military.com reported the renaming of the navy oiler.
—
Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025
The ship is a John Lewis-class oiler, part of a series of vessels named after civil rights leaders and activists.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 3 June 2025
In March, the Congressional Research Service said the average cost of building new fleet oiler ships at NASSCO had risen to $860 million each — up about $300 million from just a few years earlier.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 May 2025
The oilers are particularly needed in the Indo-Pacific and Persian Gulf — areas regularly patrolled by warships based in San Diego, Hawaii, Washington state and sites in Japan.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oiler
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Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025
The ship is a John Lewis-class oiler, part of a series of vessels named after civil rights leaders and activists.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 3 June 2025
In March, the Congressional Research Service said the average cost of building new fleet oiler ships at NASSCO had risen to $860 million each — up about $300 million from just a few years earlier.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 May 2025
The oilers are particularly needed in the Indo-Pacific and Persian Gulf — areas regularly patrolled by warships based in San Diego, Hawaii, Washington state and sites in Japan.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oiler
Cite this Entry
“Oiler.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oiler. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oiler
noun
oil·er
ˈȯi-lər 
1
: a person (as a worker) who oils something
2
: a device for applying oil
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