oil spill

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of oil spill

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

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

Earlier strikes in the past two weeks at the Tuapse refinery caused a big oil spill in the sea and residents reported "black" rain falling on the city and leaving an oily residue everywhere.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Imagine a swarm of robots rushing to complete an urgent job, such as cleaning up an oil spill or assembling complex machinery.

From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026

Trying to juice a rival’s bad news for buzz isn’t advisable if it’s something as serious as an oil spill or a plane crash.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

A giant oil spill off Santa Barbara blackened California’s coastline.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan