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
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.
Officers noticed that there was an open bottle of lighter fluid on the mantle that did not appear to have come into contact with an open flame. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025 The man looked out his peephole and saw Gieske and heard the noise of someone shaking a lighter fluid can. Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2025 Dad would question her drinking, which was like squirting lighter fluid on a roaring fire. Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025 Sunday threw lighter fluid on the fire. Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighter fluid

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lighter fluid was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lighter fluid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighter%20fluid. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!