refuel

American  

[ree-fyoo-uhl] / riˈfju əl /

verb (used with object)

refuels, present (3rd person singular) refueled, past participle, past refuelled, past participle, past refueling, present participle refuelling present participle

1. to supply again with fuel.

   to refuel an airplane.

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verb (used without object)

refuels, present (3rd person singular) refueled, past participle, past refuelled, past participle, past refueling, present participle refuelling present participle

1. to take on a fresh supply of fuel.

   The plane refueled at Paris and flew on.

refuel British  

/ riːˈfjuːəl /

verb

1. to supply or be supplied with fresh fuel

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrefueling
  adjective
• nonrefuelling
  adjective
• refuelable
  adjective
• unrefueled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• refueling
  present
• refuelling
  present
• refueled
  past
• refuelled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• refuel
  simple
• refuels
  simple
• have refueled
  perfect
• have refuelled
  perfect
• has refueled
  perfect
• has refuelled
  perfect
• am refueling
  progressive
• am refuelling
  progressive
• are refueling
  progressive
• are refuelling
  progressive
• is refueling
  progressive
• is refuelling
  progressive
• have been refueling
  perfect progressive
• have been refuelling
  perfect progressive
• has been refueling
  perfect progressive
• has been refuelling
  perfect progressive

Past

• refueled
  simple
• refuelled
  simple
• had refueled
  perfect
• had refuelled
  perfect
• was refueling
  progressive
• was refuelling
  progressive
• were refueling
  progressive
• were refuelling
  progressive
• had been refueling
  perfect progressive
• had been refuelling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will refuel
  simple
• will have refueled
  perfect
• will have refuelled
  perfect
• will be refueling
  progressive
• will be refuelling
  progressive
• will have been refueling
  perfect progressive
• will have been refuelling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of refuel

First recorded in 1805–15; re- + fuel

Example Sentences

While viewers in the UK watching on BBC and ITV are seeing players refuel and hearing extra tactical insight from pundits, spectators elsewhere are taken away from the football to see companies selling their products.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026

It has a range of 8,000 miles but, because it can refuel in the air, the craft can stay in flight for much longer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

SpaceX also aspires to refuel Starships in orbit, which would unlock the potential for many of the company’s—and Musk’s—more far-flung goals.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

He added that throughout the quarter, the number of gallons that customers filled up when they came to refuel at Walmart gas stations fell below 10 for the first time since 2022.

From Barron's • May 21, 2026

Faber's would be the place where he might refuel his fast draining belief in his own ability to survive.

From "Fahrenheit 451" by Ray Bradbury