refuel

verb

re·​fu·​el (ˌ)rē-ˈfyü(-ə)l 

refueled; refueling; refuels

transitive verb

: to provide with additional fuel

intransitive verb

: to take on additional fuel

Examples of refuel in a Sentence

The crew refueled the airplane.

The airplane landed to refuel.

Recent Examples on the Web

Carpooling, using public transit, avoiding unnecessary idling, and delaying refueling your vehicle until later in the day can all help reduce ozone buildup. —David Yeomans, CBS News, 26 May 2026

Rosenqvist had been vaulted into the fight for the win some 60 laps earlier, when Meyer Shank Racing opted to refuel under a caution called for Josef Newgarden’s crash. —Luke Smith, New York Times, 25 May 2026

What's more, the agency emphasized, the maintenance will go beyond refueling the spacecraft. —Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 25 May 2026

SpaceX is developing the prototype to be capable of refueling midflight in a complex process that requires two Starships equipped with docking adapters to meet in orbit to transfer propellant. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for refuel

• cruel
• dual
• duel
• fuel
• gruel
• jewel
• newel
• accrual
• nonfuel
• renewal
• biofuel
• contextual

Kids Definition

refuel

verb

re·​fu·​el (ˈ)rē-ˈfyü-əl 

: to provide with or take on more fuel