nuclear fuel

American  

[noo-klee-er fyoo-uhl, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli ər ˈfju əl, ˈnju- /

noun

1. Physics. fissile or fertile material that undergoes fission in a nuclear reactor.

2. any light element, as hydrogen or helium, that undergoes fusion and gives off energy within the interior of stars.

---

nuclear fuel British  

noun

1. a fuel that provides nuclear energy, used in nuclear power stations, nuclear submarines, etc

---

Pronunciation

See nuclear ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of nuclear fuel

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nuclear fuel

The U.S. got the United Arab Emirates to agree to forgo making nuclear fuel with the caveat that if Washington afforded any neighbor more-generous terms, the U.A.E. could renegotiate.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026

Fusion requires heating and compressing nuclear fuel to make superheated plasma in which atomic nuclei combine, releasing energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Beyond building out a domestic supply of isotopes, Oklo aims to bolster the nation’s nuclear fuel reserves.

From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026

The Russian strike on Chornobyl "partially destroyed" a spent nuclear fuel storage building, according to Ukraine's state-owned nuclear operator, Enerhoatom.

From BBC ● Jun. 7, 2026

The number of black holes, however, is almost certainly very much higher; in the long history of the universe, many stars must have burned all their nuclear fuel and have had to collapse.

From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking