crude oil
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of crude oil
First recorded in 1860–65
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.
In April, exports rose 2.6 percent to $327.1 billion, fueled by crude oil, fuel oil and other petroleum products.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Shipments of crude oil and vehicles to the U.S. drove Canadian exports to a record high in April.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
The steep cut comes as China, the world’s largest crude oil buyer, drastically lowered crude imports as weaker refining activity and lower refined-product exports weigh on domestic operations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
"Fire whirls burn through crude oil spills nearly twice as fast as in-situ fire pools, potentially giving cleanup crews faster operational and response times to eliminating the oils from spreading," Oran said.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
This time I've sprayed my white-blond strands a deep black, as if I'd dipped them in crude oil.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
