lighter fluid

noun

1

: the liquid in a lighter (such as a cigarette lighter) that is its fuel

2

: a liquid accelerant used especially to ignite charcoal briquettes for grilling food

The average back-yard chef, wishing to cook hamburgers, tries to ignite the charcoal via the Squirt, Light and Wait Method, wherein you squirt lighter fluid on a pile of briquettes, light the pile, then wait until they have turned a uniform grey.

—Dave Barry

Examples of lighter fluid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Police said Hopson's DNA was found on the lighter fluid bottle and on a ski mask recovered from the car. —Adam Thompson, CBS News, 7 May 2026

In the days before the killings, Abugharbieh ordered supplies such as duct tape and lighter fluid from Amazon and searched for ways to dispose of bodies, according to court records obtained by the USA TODAY Network. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 1 May 2026

In the fourth inning, two protesters came on the field, spread the flag on the left-center field grass and doused it with lighter fluid, attempting to set it ablaze. —Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026

So did barbecue lighter fluid, dry cleaners, paints, deodorants, breweries, and the ethanol in the aromas from commercial bakeries. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lighter fluid

• druid
• superfluid