fuel

1 of 2

noun

fu·​el ˈfyü(-ə)l How to pronounce fuel (audio)
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

fuel

2 of 2

verb

fueled or fuelled; fueling or fuelling

transitive verb

1
: to provide with fuel
2
: support, stimulate
movement is fueled by massive grants-in-aidAllen Schick

intransitive verb

: to take in fuel
often used with up

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
Noun
This mostly outdoor restaurant is one of the last places in Hong Kong with a license to use kerosene as fuel, which means their woks are some of the hottest anywhere. Condé Nast, Bon Appétit, 20 Mar. 2024 There was upward pressure from motor fuel, housing and household services. Tom Rees, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024 Transporting fuel across the lake is worrisome, Irvine said. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 Experts and Ukrainian officials say Ukraine hopes to disrupt the Russian military’s logistical routes and combat operations by targeting refineries, which supply gasoline, diesel and fuel for tanks, fighter jets and other critical military equipment. Constant Méheut, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 That moisture caused ample instability, or fuel, to support the development of strong to severe storms. Naomi Schanen, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 Hertz expected to save money on fuel and maintenance, but failed to factor in the higher cost of insurance premiums and the possibility of its new EVs being written off due to prohibitively expensive repairs. José Rodríguez Jr. / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 The violence has left Haitians in the capital running low on food, fuel and water. Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2024 The longer the disruption persists and the more ships are diverted, the greater the delays in delivering goods, commodities and fuel, which risks driving prices higher. Hanna Ziady, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024
Verb
The confusion in Texas resembles other immigration battles during the Trump and Biden administrations, fueled by congressional inaction. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 21 Mar. 2024 The film follows the rise of Irish gangs, fueled by mass immigration in the late 19th century and their power struggles with other criminal groups in the area around the Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024 What had been a trickle of just a few thousand people crossing the gap each year gushed to 133,000, an increase fueled largely by Haitians fleeing economic chaos. Ken Bensinger Federico Rios, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 The 44-year-old has always been open about his creative process being fueled by digging himself a PR hole and vying to climb out of it with great music. Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 Casa Azul’s Adamec, though, said despite expecting inquiries about residency in Portugal to nosedive following the closure of the golden visa program, applications have remained steady, probably fueled by the U.S. election. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024 Our nation’s growth has always been fueled by smart, forward-looking policies. Pat Gelsinger, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024 Professors protest antisemitism, Islamophobia with sleep-ins A growing number of college professors in California will sleep in their offices overnight this week to protest their school administrations' response to a growing trend of antisemitism on their campuses fueled by the war in Gaza. John Bacon, USA TODAY, 19 Mar. 2024 Shares have increased 790% over the past year, fueled by Wall Street’s interest in artificial intelligence. William Gavin, Quartz, 19 Mar. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fewel, from Anglo-French fuail, feuaile, from Vulgar Latin *focalia, from Latin focus hearth

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fuel was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near fuel

Cite this Entry

“Fuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fuel. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fuel

1 of 2 noun
fu·​el ˈfyü(-ə)l How to pronounce fuel (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on fuel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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