petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
Examples of petroleum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Advertisement Advertisement Synthetic dyes are generally made from petroleum and concocted in labs.
—
Alice Park, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
If something’s made with petroleum, it’s made in an industry that’s already mature and cheaper.
—Katherine Bourzac, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
In the wake of the pending closures, the California Energy Commission sent Newsom a series of recommendations to bolster stability to the petroleum market.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2025
Contaminants found in the soil include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, lead, arsenic and chromium, the Terracon report stated.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petroleum
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alice Park, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
If something’s made with petroleum, it’s made in an industry that’s already mature and cheaper.
—Katherine Bourzac, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
In the wake of the pending closures, the California Energy Commission sent Newsom a series of recommendations to bolster stability to the petroleum market.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2025
Contaminants found in the soil include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, lead, arsenic and chromium, the Terracon report stated.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for petroleum
Cite this Entry
“Petroleum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroleum. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, is obtained from wells drilled in the ground, and is the source of gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, and other products
Medical Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm, -ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share