sulfuric acid

noun

: a heavy corrosive oily dibasic strong acid H₂SO₄ that is colorless when pure and is a vigorous oxidizing and dehydrating agent

Is it sulfur or sulphur?: Usage Guide

The spelling sulfur predominates in U.S. technical usage, while both sulfur and sulphur are common in general usage. British usage tends to favor sulphur for all applications. The same pattern is seen in most of the words derived from sulfur.

Examples of sulfuric acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The result is a planet with 90 times the surface pressure of Earth’s, a temperature above 460 degrees Celsius (860 degrees Fahrenheit) and clouds made of sulfuric acid. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026

The ban will cover sulfuric acid that’s a by-product of copper and zinc smelting in China. —Julian Luk, Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026

Sulfur is the raw material used to make sulfuric acid, essential to fertilizer production and nearly every major metallurgical process, including copper smelting and steel production. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026

Campbell allegedly threw a cup of liquid later determined to be 70% sulfuric acid directly at the woman. —Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1788, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sulfuric acid

• antacid
• placid

Kids Definition

sulfuric acid

noun

: a heavy oily strong acid that is colorless when pure and eats away at many solid substances

Medical Definition

sulfuric acid

noun

: a heavy corrosive oily dibasic strong acid H₂SO₄ that is colorless when pure and is a vigorous oxidizing and dehydrating agent see oil of vitriol