sulfuric acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a clear, colorless to brownish, dense, oily, corrosive, water-miscible liquid, H 2 SO 4 , usually produced from sulfur dioxide: used chiefly in the manufacture of fertilizers, chemicals, explosives, and dyestuffs and in petroleum refining.

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sulfuric acid Scientific  

1. A strong corrosive acid. It combines very easily with water, making it a good drying agent. Sulfuric acid is the most widely used acid in industry. It is used to make detergents, dyes, drugs, explosives, pigments, fertilizers, and many other products. It is also the acid in lead-acid electric batteries. Chemical formula: H ₂ SO ₄ .

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Etymology

Origin of sulfuric acid

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sulfuric acid

Many links in the global industrial-supply chain are already being tested — such as lubricants, as well as sulfuric acid, helium and aluminum — because of the disruptions in the Persian Gulf, Lynch said.

From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026

In addition to sulfur, roughly half of the world’s seaborne supply of sulfuric acid also comes from the Middle East, according to the report from the Congressional Research Service.

From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026

Chile imports more sulfuric acid than any other country and uses it to leach copper from huge heaps of ore.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

Users don’t usually keep much sulfuric acid on hand because it requires careful handling and special tanks for storage, Sinha said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

At 60 kilometers, we plunge into the clouds, and find ourselves surrounded by droplets of concentrated sulfuric acid.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan