refuel

verb

re·​fu·​el (ˌ)rē-ˈfyü(-ə)l How to pronounce refuel (audio)
refueled; refueling; refuels

transitive verb

: to provide with additional fuel

intransitive verb

: to take on additional fuel

Example Sentences

The crew refueled the airplane. The airplane landed to refuel.
Recent Examples on the Web Enter Email Sign Up The president’s whirlwind journey spanned a seven-hour fight to Poland — with a stop in Germany to refuel — and a nearly 10-hour train ride to Kyiv, a city battered by months of Russian attacks. Amanda Kaufman, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Feb. 2023 The blend of branched-chain amino acids in this sports drink helps your body refuel while helping to reduce fatigue and muscle soreness. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2023 Aim to eat within an hour after finishing your run, as this will help your tired muscles refuel and rebuild. Drink up. Madeline Howard, Women's Health, 27 Jan. 2023 Though originally designed as a place for shoppers to rest and refuel between purchasing sprees, the mall food court took on a wholly different meaning for people like me, who came of age at the cusp of the late ’90s and early 2000s. Angella Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2022 The film focuses on his unlikely boxing comeback to pay the bills and refuel his stardom. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2023 To begin with, the company will focus on commercial EV recharging, but refueling infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell EVs will follow. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 28 Apr. 2023 Flying over central Ethiopia, the Army helicopters landed to refuel and perform last checks while awaiting final approval, according to a person familiar with the operation. Declan Walsh, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Apr. 2023 Starship is designed to be refueled in orbit, allowing SpaceX to hoist an unprecedented amount of cargo and potentially dozens of people to deep space. Christian Davenport, Washington Post, 17 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refuel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of refuel was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near refuel

Cite this Entry

“Refuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refuel. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

refuel

verb
re·​fu·​el (ˈ)rē-ˈfyü-əl How to pronounce refuel (audio)
: to provide with or take on more fuel

More from Merriam-Webster on refuel

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!