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

Yet a first-of-its-kind analysis of permit applications to the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state’s main oil and gas regulator, reveals a rubber-stamp system that allows drillers to emit vast amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere. —ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025

China and Russia have greenlit a new cross-border natural gas pipeline in a major win for Russian President Vladimir Putin, though questions about who pays what and at what price remain unresolved. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

Indeed, some data centers are colocating with natural gas or nuclear facilities, sometimes combined with renewables and battery storage to enhance scale and reliability. —Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Solar and wind projects produce cheaper energy on average than fossil fuels projects that run on natural gas and coal, though the cost can vary greatly depending on the location and type of project. —Lauren Sommer, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025

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