often attributive
1
a
: a material used to produce heat or power by burning
b
: nutritive material
c
: a material from which atomic energy can be liberated especially in a reactor
2
: a source of sustenance or incentive : reinforcement
fueled or fuelled; fueling or fuelling
1
: to provide with fuel
: to take in fuel
—often used with up
Synonyms
Examples of fuel in a Sentence
Noun
I had the fuel pump replaced on my car.
These latest scandals will provide further fuel for his political opponents.
These latest accusations will only add fuel to the controversy.
The controversy continues to rage, and these latest accusations will only add fuel to the fire.
Verb
The airplanes were fueled in midair.
The criticism she has faced has only fueled her determination to succeed.
Inflation was fueled by high prices.
The strong economy has fueled the construction of new homes.
Recent Examples on the Web
USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The hybrid-electric propulsion system, developed in partnership with German outfit Torqeedo, uses less fuel than conventional diesel-only setups.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2024
And because members of nonstate groups often rely on the same sources as ordinary civilians for food, fuel, and money, these areas of the economy that are essential to civilian life are regularly in the direct line of fire.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
The tank held close to three hours of fuel when full.
—Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
In the winter of 1944–45, the Germans had cut off heating fuel and food for much of the country, and some 20,000 people had starved to death.
—Adam Hochschild, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2024
Building the nation's industrial sector away from fossil fuel combustion could potentially include zero-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen or ammonia, and low-carbon fuels, such as biofuels made from plant waste or algae, according to the agency.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
Energy stocks often do well when the economy is strong, since there’s more energy demand to fuel goods- and services production.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The new software will trigger a dashboard warning light and Ford will extend warranty coverage for the defective fuel injectors, so owners will be able to get free replacements.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2024
Inflation and unemployment are low, and consumer sentiment and curiosity are high, fueling an unprecedented interest in travel during the summer of 2024.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The country’s small local gangs have become multimillion-dollar criminal enterprises fueled by the rising global demand for cocaine.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Still, Perego lands other meaningful points about the rampant xenophobia that fuels the immigration discourse.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Hellyer adds the current situation between Israel and Hamas could just fuel the radicalization.
—NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
Ford’s latest plans are further fueling those concerns.
—Esha Dey, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
The new travel center also boasts 120 fueling positions.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024
Those feelings fuel their commitment to helping others within their own spaces.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
Noun
Notification letters are scheduled to be sent to owners about the recall on June 18, the NHTSA said, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pump assembly at no cost.
—USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024
The hybrid-electric propulsion system, developed in partnership with German outfit Torqeedo, uses less fuel than conventional diesel-only setups.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2024
And because members of nonstate groups often rely on the same sources as ordinary civilians for food, fuel, and money, these areas of the economy that are essential to civilian life are regularly in the direct line of fire.
—Oona A. Hathaway, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024
The tank held close to three hours of fuel when full.
—Susan Tate Ankeny, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2024
In the winter of 1944–45, the Germans had cut off heating fuel and food for much of the country, and some 20,000 people had starved to death.
—Adam Hochschild, The Atlantic, 23 Apr. 2024
Building the nation's industrial sector away from fossil fuel combustion could potentially include zero-carbon fuels, such as hydrogen or ammonia, and low-carbon fuels, such as biofuels made from plant waste or algae, according to the agency.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 22 Apr. 2024
Energy stocks often do well when the economy is strong, since there’s more energy demand to fuel goods- and services production.
—Krystal Hur, CNN, 12 Apr. 2024
The new software will trigger a dashboard warning light and Ford will extend warranty coverage for the defective fuel injectors, so owners will be able to get free replacements.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
New York collected four consecutive singles and was fueled by clutch two-out hitting.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2024
Inflation and unemployment are low, and consumer sentiment and curiosity are high, fueling an unprecedented interest in travel during the summer of 2024.
—Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The country’s small local gangs have become multimillion-dollar criminal enterprises fueled by the rising global demand for cocaine.
—Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024
Still, Perego lands other meaningful points about the rampant xenophobia that fuels the immigration discourse.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
Hellyer adds the current situation between Israel and Hamas could just fuel the radicalization.
—NPR, 12 Apr. 2024
Ford’s latest plans are further fueling those concerns.
—Esha Dey, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024
The new travel center also boasts 120 fueling positions.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2024
Those feelings fuel their commitment to helping others within their own spaces.
—USA TODAY, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fuel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near fuel
Cite this Entry
“Fuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuel. Accessed 28 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fuel
1 of 2 noun
fu·el
ˈfyü(-ə)l 
1
a
: a material used to produce heat or power by burning
b
: a material from which atomic energy can be produced especially in a reactor
2
: a source of energy
fuel
2 of 2 verb
fueled or fuelled; fueling or fuelling
: to supply with or take in fuel
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