fracking
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fracking
Shortening and alteration
Explanation
Fracking is a method of extracting natural gas and oil that are trapped in underground rocks in order to use them for fuel. Fracking is controversial, especially among environmentalists. The term fracking is a 21st-century word, first appearing in jargon used by engineers as shorthand for "hydraulic fracturing." This is the engineering process that blasts very high-pressure jets of water underground, flushing out deposits of oil and gas that would otherwise be almost impossible to reach. The use of such enormous quantities of water, and the pollution that results, are just two of the downsides of fracking.
Vocabulary lists containing fracking
Earth Science: Natural Resources and the Environment
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Earth Science II
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for July 10–July 16, 2021
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
With production at Platform Gilda dwindling to 1,100 barrels per day, staff said the rig would also run its course if it weren’t for fracking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Van der Meer called offshore oil production “the backbone of the international business” and predicted a sharp decline in fracking production within a decade.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Another newcomer that has lost its shine with investors is Fervo Energy, which is adapting fracking techniques to provide geothermal energy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
While the US has focused on flexibility, embracing fracking and letting prices respond to the market, Europe has relied on long-term contracts and interconnected supply networks to guarantee energy security.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
This was particularly important in connection with underground activities like excavation and extraction, he said, pointing for instance to quakes triggered by disposal of wastewater from the fracking industry in Texas.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
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.
