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Synonyms

fuel

American  
[fyoo-uhl] / ˈfyu əl /

noun

  1. combustible matter used to maintain fire, as coal, wood, oil, or gas, in order to create heat or power.

  2. something that gives nourishment; food.

  3. an energy source for engines, power plants, or reactors.

    Kerosene is used as jet engine fuel.

  4. something that sustains or encourages; stimulant.

    Our discussion provided him with fuel for debate.
    Synonyms:
    stimulus, impetus, sustenance, ammunition

verb (used with object)

fueled, fueling, fuelled, fuelling

  1. to supply with fuel.

verb (used without object)

fueled, fueling, fuelled, fuelling

  1. to obtain or replenish fuel.

fuel British  
/ fjʊəl /

noun

  1. any substance burned as a source of heat or power, such as coal or petrol

    1. the material, containing a fissile substance, such as uranium-235, that produces energy in a nuclear reactor

    2. a substance that releases energy in a fusion reactor

  3. something that nourishes or builds up emotion, action, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to supply with or receive fuel

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
fuel Scientific  
/ fyo̅o̅′əl /

  1. A substance that produces useful energy when it undergoes a chemical or nuclear reaction. Fuel such as coal, wood, oil, or gas provides energy when burned. Compounds in the body such as glucose are broken down into simpler compounds to provide energy for metabolic processes. Some radioactive substances, such as plutonium and tritium, provide energy by undergoing nuclear fission or fusion.

fuel Idioms  

  1. see add fuel to the fire.

Other Word Forms

  • defuel verb (used with object)
  • fueler noun
  • fueller noun
  • nonfuel adjective
  • unfueled adjective
  • well-fueled adjective

Etymology

Origin of fuel

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English feuel, fuel(le), from Old French feuaile, from Vulgar Latin focālia (unrecorded), neuter plural of focālis (unrecorded) “of the hearth, fuel,” from Latin focus “hearth” ( focus ) + -ālis -al 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Stocks remain near records, even after a recent slump fueled by worries about the impact of artificial-intelligence technology on jobs and the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

It warned on Monday that the war unleashed uncertainty over air traffic levels and -- crucially -- fuel costs.

From Barron's

"The question is whether there will be enough fuel to keep the world's factory running," he told AFP.

From Barron's

“That said, the situation remains highly uncertain and the escalation further fuels the bullish mood in the gold and silver markets, providing support to prices,” Menke wrote.

From Barron's

Oil prices jumped 5.5% as the Strait of Hormuz closed, signaling a sharp rise in marine and jet fuel costs for operators.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.