oil spill
noun
an accidental release of oil into a body of water, as from a tanker, offshore drilling rig, or underwater pipeline, often presenting a hazard to marine life and the environment.
oil spills
-
pluralof oil spill.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Even relatively small oil spills can persist in marine sediments for years, compromising the ecological resilience of this protected marine ecosystem."
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
The team envisions a future in which portable systems could be deployed directly over burning oil spills to intentionally generate fire whirls on demand.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026
There is also a greater risk of oil spills and crew injury.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Earlier this month a number of strikes were carried out on oil infrastructure in the city of Tuapse on the Black Sea, leading to significant oil spills.
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
An unknown quantity is lost in oil spills and leakage.
From Russian Roulette: Russia's Economy in Putin's Era by Samuel Vaknin
