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Synonyms

natural gas

American  

noun

  1. a combustible mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons that accumulates in porous sedimentary rocks, especially those yielding petroleum, consisting usually of over 80 percent methane together with minor amounts of ethane, propane, butane, nitrogen, and, sometimes, helium: used as a fuel and to make carbon black, acetylene, and synthesis gas.

natural gas British  

noun

  1. a gaseous mixture consisting mainly of methane trapped below ground; used extensively as a fuel

"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
natural gas Scientific  
/ năch′ər-əl /

  1. A mixture of hydrocarbon gases that occurs naturally beneath the Earth's surface, often with or near petroleum deposits. Natural gas contains mostly of methane but also has varying amounts of ethane, propane, butane, and nitrogen. It is used as a fuel and in making organic compounds.

Etymology

Origin of natural gas

First recorded in 1815–25

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.

Rigs directed at natural gas fell by three to 127, or 22 more than a year ago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Just one liquefied natural gas tanker made it through Thursday, while 14 remained stranded, according to ship-tracker Kpler.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Another attack earlier in the conflict took a toll on Qatar’s liquified natural gas exports, hitting the Ras Laffan complex.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical passage for commodities such as natural gas, fertiliser, aluminium and helium, as well as oil.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

I swear it smelled like natural gas and pu-erh tea when it ruptured, which was weird and gross.

From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram

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.