fossil fuel

noun

: a fuel (such as coal, oil, or natural gas) formed in the earth from plant or animal remains
fossil-fueled adjective

Examples of fossil fuel in a Sentence

oil and other fossil fuels
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During his first time around as president, Donald Trump rolled back a bevy of environmental rules, withdrew from the Paris Agreement, and boosted the fossil fuel industry. Matt Simon / Grist, Quartz, 12 Nov. 2024 Researchers at Climate Analytics, a global climate science and policy institute based in Berlin, found that Australia is responsible for about 4.5% of global carbon emissions, with 80% of those emissions coming from its fossil fuel exports. Mahalia Dobson, NBC News, 10 Nov. 2024 Most agree that a transition away from fossil fuels is a good and needed thing, but very few who study the issue closely believe it can be done quickly, or without massive dislocation and collateral impacts, some or many of which cannot really be predicted, let alone dealt with, in advance. Daniel Markind, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Before Lincoln was born, actually, the Industrial Revolution had begun, marking the dawn of the fossil fuel era — which continues today with ever-deadlier heat waves, fires and floods. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fossil fuel 

Word History

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fossil fuel was in 1759

Dictionary Entries Near fossil fuel

Cite this Entry

“Fossil fuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fossil%20fuel. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

fossil fuel

noun
: a fuel (as coal, oil, or natural gas) that is formed in the earth from plant or animal remains

More from Merriam-Webster on fossil fuel

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!