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

See Examples For:

oil spill

BBC Verify has also analysed satellite imagery suggesting the oil spill originated from an attack on a vessel in Omani waters on 3 August.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

Such oversight can include ensuring that companies have oil spill plans in place, or that they perform restoration efforts after development.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

After years of cost-cutting, Raymond led Exxon’s response to the Valdez oil spill, still among the worst environmental disasters in the industry’s history.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

If successful, such systems could transform emergency oil spill response by converting ordinary fires into highly efficient cleanup tools.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 5, 2026

Anger flared like an oil spill inside my veins.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros