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napalm

American  
[ney-pahm] / ˈneɪ pɑm /

noun

  1. a highly incendiary jellylike substance used in fire bombs, flamethrowers, etc.

verb (used with object)

  1. to drop bombs containing napalm on (troops, a city, or the like).

napalm British  
/ ˈneɪpɑːm, ˈnæ- /

noun

  1. a thick and highly incendiary liquid, usually consisting of petrol gelled with aluminium soaps, used in firebombs, flame-throwers, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to attack with napalm

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
napalm Scientific  
/ nā′päm′ /

  1. A firm jelly made by mixing gasoline with aluminum salts (made of fatty acids). It is used in some bombs and in flamethrowers. Napalm was developed during World War II.

Etymology

Origin of napalm

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; na(phthene) + palm(itate)

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.

And so-called artificial intelligence, of course, is adding napalm to this dumpster fire.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

After “The Godfather” made him a movie star in his 40s, he remained a beloved character actor for half a century, adding “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” to the cultural lexicon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

He only had a few minutes of screen time but his famous line in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 classic, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning", became legendary.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

Spicy Chicken Sandwich has napalm aioli, spicy pickles and is served on a soft potato bun.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2022

“They also used napalm before we went in an area,” Allen said.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge

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.