variants
or less commonly propellent
: something that propels: such as
a
: an explosive for propelling projectiles
b
: fuel plus oxidizer used by a rocket engine
c
: a gas kept under pressure in a bottle or can for expelling the contents when the pressure is released
Examples of propellant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrew Jones, Space.com, 5 May 2026
Unlike the side boosters, which had propellant reserves for landing, the core stage burned all of its fuel as planned and was then jettisoned to crash into the Atlantic Ocean.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 May 2026
To pull off the single-stage landing and launch back to orbit, both Starship and Blue Moon will need several on-orbit refueling flights, requiring transfer and long-term storage of cryogenic propellants — neither of which capabilities have ever been demonstrated in space.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for propellant
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Adjective
The key to the major progress needed in the next 18 months, however, is flying Starship regularly and demonstrating on-orbit docking and propellant transfer.
—Andrew Jones, Space.com, 5 May 2026
Unlike the side boosters, which had propellant reserves for landing, the core stage burned all of its fuel as planned and was then jettisoned to crash into the Atlantic Ocean.
—William Harwood, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
SpaceX then announced May 9 that the spacecraft had been fully integrated on the launch pad ahead of a launch rehearsal that involved fueling the rocket with more than 11 million pounds of propellant.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 May 2026
To pull off the single-stage landing and launch back to orbit, both Starship and Blue Moon will need several on-orbit refueling flights, requiring transfer and long-term storage of cryogenic propellants — neither of which capabilities have ever been demonstrated in space.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for propellant
Cite this Entry
“Propellant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propellant. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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