fuel
Americannoun
-
combustible matter used to maintain fire, as coal, wood, oil, or gas, in order to create heat or power.
-
something that gives nourishment; food.
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an energy source for engines, power plants, or reactors.
Kerosene is used as jet engine fuel.
-
something that sustains or encourages; stimulant.
Our discussion provided him with fuel for debate.
- Synonyms:
- stimulus, impetus, sustenance, ammunition
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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any substance burned as a source of heat or power, such as coal or petrol
-
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the material, containing a fissile substance, such as uranium-235, that produces energy in a nuclear reactor
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a substance that releases energy in a fusion reactor
-
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something that nourishes or builds up emotion, action, etc
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nonfueladjective
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well-fueledadjective
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defuelverb (used with object)
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fuellernoun
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unfueledadjective
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fuelernoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
has fuelledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have fueledperfect
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have fuelledperfect
-
has fueledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been fuelingperfect progressive
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am fuelingprogressive 1st person singular
-
has been fuelingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
has been fuellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
are fuellingprogressive
-
am fuellingprogressive 1st person singular
-
fuelssingular 3rd person
-
fuelingparticiple
-
are fuelingprogressive
-
have been fuellingperfect progressive
-
is fuelingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
fuellingparticiple
-
is fuellingprogressive 3rd person singular
Past
-
had fuelledperfect
-
had fueledperfect
-
was fuellingprogressive singular
-
was fuelingprogressive singular
-
were fuellingprogressive plural
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fuelledsimple
-
fueledsimple
-
had been fuellingperfect progressive
-
fueledparticiple
-
were fuelingprogressive plural
-
had been fuelingperfect progressive
-
fuelledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of fuel
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English feuel, fuel(le), from Old French feuaile, from Vulgar Latin focālia (unrecorded), neuter plural of focālis (unrecorded) “of the hearth, fuel,” from Latin focus “hearth” ( see focus) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
What do you and your car have in common? You both run on fuel. Whether its gasoline or nutritious food, fuel produces energy to get up and go. Fuel can also act as a verb that has several different meanings, all related to stimulating something or providing energy. Your brother might fuel up on whole-wheat bread with peanut butter a few hours before a big game. A teacher assigns readings to fuel meaningful class discussion. Memories of your mom's delicious dinners might fuel your desire to learn to cook.
Vocabulary lists containing fuel
Word Generation Science - Energy
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Engineering - Introductory
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Chemical Reactions - Introductory
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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.
"Unfortunately, it does not appear possible to fully satisfy the demand for fuel at the current moment," the Kremlin-appointed regional head, Sergei Aksyonov, admitted on 5 June.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says under a new loan program, Canadian airlines facing “significant financial pressures” from higher fuel prices could access up to C$150 million in financing to alleviate the balance-sheet squeeze.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
One of the pilots was heard asking why the fuel supply had been cut off, and the other pilot responded that he hadn’t done it.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
"The strikes that empty fuel stations for civilians also affect supplies to troops in the south," Rybar, a pro-Kremlin Russian military analysis account , posted on its Telegram account.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
The storage pools, loaded with a total of almost 900 tons of spent fuel, had no containment structures.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
