fuel
Americannoun
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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.
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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
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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fuelsimple
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fuelssimple
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have fueledperfect
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have fuelledperfect
-
has fueledperfect
-
has fuelledperfect
-
am fuelingprogressive
-
am fuellingprogressive
-
are fuelingprogressive
-
are fuellingprogressive
-
is fuelingprogressive
-
is fuellingprogressive
-
have been fuelingperfect progressive
-
have been fuellingperfect progressive
-
has been fuelingperfect progressive
-
has been fuellingperfect progressive
Past
-
fueledsimple
-
fuelledsimple
-
had fueledperfect
-
had fuelledperfect
-
was fuelingprogressive
-
was fuellingprogressive
-
were fuelingprogressive
-
were fuellingprogressive
-
had been fuelingperfect progressive
-
had been fuellingperfect progressive
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.
But the fuel blockade is hurting business, strangled by power cuts of up to 30 hours at a time, and fuel prices of up to $8 a liter.
From Barron's • Jul. 3, 2026
Because the altered cells required more energy, they increased their consumption of available fuel sources.
From Science Daily • Jul. 3, 2026
Benchmark U.S. natural-gas futures are trading about 10% below year-ago levels thanks to strong domestic production and comfortable spring weather that enabled traders to sock away fuel in storage caverns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
Seafarers from around the world were stranded and oil prices surged, pushing up the cost of energy and fuel, along with a vast range of goods that are shipped around the world.
From BBC • Jul. 2, 2026
About a half hour later, the tank’s legs buckled and broke, sending it crashing into a pipeline carrying fuel.
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.
