petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
Examples of petroleum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Monday, finance ministers from the G7 nations met to discuss a coordinated release of petroleum through the International Energy Agency's (IEA) reserves, the Financial Times reported.
—
Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
About 20% of the world’s petroleum consumption passed through the Strait before the war broke out.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Dong said higher global non-ferrous metal and crude oil prices drove month-on-month increases in costs across several industries, including gas and petroleum extraction.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
Iran has effectively halted trade traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime trade route that ferries roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petroleum
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Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
About 20% of the world’s petroleum consumption passed through the Strait before the war broke out.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Dong said higher global non-ferrous metal and crude oil prices drove month-on-month increases in costs across several industries, including gas and petroleum extraction.
—Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
Iran has effectively halted trade traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, the maritime trade route that ferries roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum.
—Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for petroleum
Cite this Entry
“Petroleum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroleum. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, is obtained from wells drilled in the ground, and is the source of gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, and other products
Medical Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm, -ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
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