gas pedal
noun
plural gas pedals
US
: a pedal in a vehicle that increases the output of the internal combustion engine
The Aston responds instantly as he presses the gas pedal half an inch closer to the floor.—
Frank Conroy
Frank ConroySuddenly, she released the clutch, floored the gas pedal, and the Nissan jumped forward with a screech.—Marilyn Reynolds
: accelerator sense b
Marilyn ReynoldsExamples of gas pedal in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sympathetic drive — the fight-or-flight response — works like a gas pedal, while parasympathetic drive provides the brake.
—Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Not exactly animal spirits, unfortunately, as investors are looking for the Chinese government to push the stimulus gas pedal further.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Excitatory neurotransmitters act like a gas pedal, exciting neurons, while inhibitory ones act like a brake.
—New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2025
Jerky movements — twisting the wheel suddenly or slamming your foot on the brake or gas pedal — can throw your vehicle into a skid.
—Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
The Tesla Cybertruck, available for just over a year, has faced six recalls, including issues with its electric inverter, rearview camera, windshield wipers and gas pedal design.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Slamming on the brakes or gas pedal could put you into a dangerous spin.
—Christopher Cann, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Nov. 2024
After trial and error, my colleagues and I found that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like a gas pedal.
—Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
All complex body systems require the equivalent of brakes and a gas pedal to maintain control, and the vagus nerve serves these roles for many of our innate responses, nearly all of which occur involuntarily.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 29 Sep. 2024
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Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Not exactly animal spirits, unfortunately, as investors are looking for the Chinese government to push the stimulus gas pedal further.
—Brendan Ahern, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Excitatory neurotransmitters act like a gas pedal, exciting neurons, while inhibitory ones act like a brake.
—New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2025
Jerky movements — twisting the wheel suddenly or slamming your foot on the brake or gas pedal — can throw your vehicle into a skid.
—Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Dec. 2024
The Tesla Cybertruck, available for just over a year, has faced six recalls, including issues with its electric inverter, rearview camera, windshield wipers and gas pedal design.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Slamming on the brakes or gas pedal could put you into a dangerous spin.
—Christopher Cann, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Nov. 2024
After trial and error, my colleagues and I found that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like a gas pedal.
—Kelly Lambert, Discover Magazine, 14 Nov. 2024
All complex body systems require the equivalent of brakes and a gas pedal to maintain control, and the vagus nerve serves these roles for many of our innate responses, nearly all of which occur involuntarily.
—R Douglas Fields, WIRED, 29 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Gas pedal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gas%20pedal. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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