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
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fuelernoun
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defuelverb (used with object)
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well-fueledadjective
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fuellernoun
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nonfueladjective
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unfueledadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has fueledperfect 3rd person singular
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have fuelledperfect
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have fueledperfect
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are fuelingprogressive
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has fuelledperfect 3rd person singular
-
have been fuellingperfect progressive
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is fuelingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
is fuellingprogressive 3rd person singular
-
have been fuelingperfect progressive
-
am fuelingprogressive 1st person singular
-
has been fuellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
am fuellingprogressive 1st person singular
-
are fuellingprogressive
-
has been fuelingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
-
fuelssingular 3rd person
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fuelingparticiple
-
fuellingparticiple
Past
-
had fueledperfect
-
had fuelledperfect
-
was fuelingprogressive singular
-
were fuellingprogressive plural
-
had been fuellingperfect progressive
-
had been fuelingperfect progressive
-
were fuelingprogressive plural
-
was fuellingprogressive singular
-
fuelledsimple
-
fueledsimple
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fueledparticiple
-
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.
Another worry is soot, created when fuel burns and when plastic satellite parts burn up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Transportation and warehousing services, however, moved up 2.6% month over month due to the impact of higher fuel costs.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
The US has also sanctioned the ship's owner, Arihant Shipping Inc, and has accused the ship of transporting "hundreds of thousands of barrels of Iranian fuel oil and bitumen within the Gulf since July 2025".
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
One such product is formic acid, a chemical that can serve as a fuel and a way to store energy.
From Science Daily • Jun. 11, 2026
A fire burned in the chimney to heat the water, using pinecones as fuel, as they were easily gathered and burned more slowly than coal.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
