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
Recent Examples on the Web
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
The Strait of Hormuz, where supertankers carrying 20 percent of the global oil supply passes through, has been closed, leading to a significant rise in the price of fuel worldwide.
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Russian supertanker Astro Lupus waits to unload its cargo of the first direct shipment of Russian crude oil on July 3, 2002 in the Gulf of Mexico.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for supertanker
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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
The Strait of Hormuz, where supertankers carrying 20 percent of the global oil supply passes through, has been closed, leading to a significant rise in the price of fuel worldwide.
—Ghassan E. El-Eid, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Russian supertanker Astro Lupus waits to unload its cargo of the first direct shipment of Russian crude oil on July 3, 2002 in the Gulf of Mexico.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 13 Mar. 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 7 Apr. 2026.
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