natural gas

noun

1

: gas issuing from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells

especially : a combustible mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons used chiefly as a fuel and raw material

2

: gas manufactured from organic matter (such as coal)

Examples of natural gas in a Sentence

a house heated by natural gas

Recent Examples on the Web

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil trade normally passes through the strait, along with critical supplies of fertilizer for the world’s farmers, natural gas and humanitarian supplies for places in dire need like Afghanistan and Sudan. —ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026

Though the world’s largest energy importer has largely withstood the worst of the global supply crunch sparked by the Iran war, the conflict has nonetheless exposed some vulnerabilities, leading Beijing to look at cheap domestic coal as an alternative to replace natural gas imports. —Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Regulators found the pipe was prone to brittle cracking, allowing natural gas to escape underground. —Brian New, CBS News, 20 Apr. 2026

New York gas pipeline In another twist, both Fazio and McCaughey have publicly called on Lamont to sue New York state in order to obtain more natural gas for Connecticut in an attempt to reduce sky-high electricity prices. —Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for natural gas

• bermudagrass
• alas
• amass
• bromegrass
• bypass
• chagas
• crabgrass
• crevasse
• eelgrass
• eyeglass
• groundmass
• harass

Kids Definition

natural gas

noun

: gas that comes from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells

especially : a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons and especially methane used chiefly as a fuel and raw material