oil spill

American  

noun

oil spills plural

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• oil spills
  plural

Etymology

Origin of oil spill

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

To explore whether the phenomenon could be useful for real-world oil spill cleanup, the research team designed an experiment large enough to mimic more realistic conditions.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

A pipeline rupture in East Los Angeles early Friday morning resulted in a crude oil spill, according to officials.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

California regulators had kept the pipeline closed following a 2015 oil spill that fouled the coastline.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Volkswagen was previously found guilty in the emissions cheating scandal, Pfizer over its promotion of the anti-inflammatory drug Bextra and Exxon for the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

Anger flared like an oil spill inside my veins.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros