fossil fuels
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All fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide when burned. (See greenhouse effect.)
Burning fossil fuels is a main cause of air pollution.
All of these fuels were formed from the remains of plants and animals that lived millions of years ago.
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.
At the same time, the need to move away from fossil fuels has intensified the search for cleaner energy alternatives.
From Science Daily • May 4, 2026
The European Commission has urged member states to avoid prematurely shutting existing nuclear facilities as part of efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and strengthen energy independence.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
These can vary widely depending on the method used to make it, but in general burning SAF adds less carbon to the atmosphere than burning fossil fuels.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
She also would seek to divest holdings such as fossil fuels, weapons manufacturers and surveillance technology from state employee pension funds.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
“You’re kidding, right? You don’t think the huge amounts of greenhouse gases we’re releasing into the air by burning fossil fuels has anything to do with the fact that the earth keeps getting hotter?”
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
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.
