sulfuric acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a clear, colorless to brownish, dense, oily, corrosive, water-miscible liquid, H 2 SO 4 , usually produced from sulfur dioxide: used chiefly in the manufacture of fertilizers, chemicals, explosives, and dyestuffs and in petroleum refining.

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sulfuric acid Scientific  

1. A strong corrosive acid. It combines very easily with water, making it a good drying agent. Sulfuric acid is the most widely used acid in industry. It is used to make detergents, dyes, drugs, explosives, pigments, fertilizers, and many other products. It is also the acid in lead-acid electric batteries. Chemical formula: H ₂ SO ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of sulfuric acid

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Contributing to supply-side issues, China started restricting its exports of sulfuric acid in May, according to the Wall Street Journal.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

That’s raising questions about alternative routes to get sulfuric acid out of the Middle East, said Edward Meir, an analyst at Marex.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

While the Chinese copper producer sells 20% of its sulfuric acid output under a price cap to the fertilizer industry, the remainder is sold across sectors without pricing restrictions, the analyst notes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Chile imports more sulfuric acid than any other country and uses it to leach copper from huge heaps of ore.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

At 60 kilometers, we plunge into the clouds, and find ourselves surrounded by droplets of concentrated sulfuric acid.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan