fuel
gb/fjˈul/ us/fjˈul/
A2
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Material burned for energy
Something like gas, coal, or wood that is burned to make heat or power.
Usage pattern:
[fuel] for [machine or purpose]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fuel' with 'gas station'; 'fuel' is the substance, not the place where you get it.
Synonyms
energy source (A broader term that includes non-burning sources like solar or wind.)
Antonyms
waste (Material that is discarded and does not provide energy.)
Collocations
fossil fuel
|renewable fuel
|fuel consumption
|fuel efficiency
|fuel supply
Themes
science
|technology
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The car runs on diesel fuel.
- Coal was the main fuel during the Industrial Revolution.
- We need to find a cleaner fuel for power plants.
- The rocket requires a large amount of liquid fuel.
- Wood is often used as fuel for campfires.
Learner examples
- The bus uses fuel to move.
- We need more fuel for the fire.
- Gas is a type of fuel.
- Fuel makes the car go.
- The plane needs fuel before it can fly.
Verb
B1
action
2
To supply with fuel
To give a machine or vehicle the fuel it needs to work.
Usage pattern:
to fuel [machine or vehicle]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with 'fill' in general; 'fuel' specifically means adding energy material, not any liquid.
Synonyms
refuel (Specifically means to replenish fuel, often after previous use.)
Antonyms
drain (To remove liquid, including fuel, from something.)
Collocations
fuel the car
|fuel the generator
|fuel the plane
Themes
daily life
|technology
|transportation
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We need to fuel the truck before the trip.
- The workers fueled the generator during the power outage.
- The plane was fueled and ready for takeoff.
Learner examples
- I will fuel the car now.
- They fuel the bus every morning.
- We must fuel the boat before we leave.
Verb
B2
action
3
To stimulate or intensify
To make something like anger, interest, or change grow stronger or happen faster.
Usage pattern:
to fuel [emotion, process, activity]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly think this sense always involves physical burning; here it is figurative.
Synonyms
provoke (Implies causing a reaction, especially negative; 'fuel' can be neutral or positive depending on context.)
Antonyms
calm (To make emotions or situations less intense.)
Collocations
fuel speculation
|fuel anger
|fuel debate
|fuel growth
Themes
emotions
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- His comments only fueled the controversy.
- Rising prices fueled public anger.
- The scandal fueled speculation about corruption.
Learner examples
- The news will fuel fear.
- Her words fueled my hope.
- The story fueled the debate.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fuel
IPA
GB/fjˈul/
US/fjˈul/
Syllables & stress
fuel (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fuel)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fuel
- Plural: fuel, fuels
Verb
- Base: fuel
- 3rd Person Singular: fuels
- Present Participle: fueling, fuelling
- Past: fueled, fuelled
- Past Participle: fueled
Word family
Forms
fuels
noun
fueling
verb
fuelling
verb
fueled
verb
fuelled
verb
Related words
refuel
verb
biofuel
noun
Expressions
fuel economy
1/fjˈul ɪkˈɑnəmi/
fixed phrase
technical
Vehicle's efficiency in using fuel
A measure of how much distance a vehicle can travel using a certain amount of fuel.
Examples
- This car has excellent fuel economy.
- Improving fuel economy can save money and reduce emissions.
fuel up
1/fjˈul ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
informal
Fill with fuel before use
To put fuel into a vehicle or machine so it can run.
Examples
- Let's fuel up before we hit the road.
- The pilot fueled up the plane before departure.
run out of fuel
1/ɹˈʌn ˈaʊt əv fjˈul/
fixed phrase
Have no fuel left
To have no more fuel because it has all been used.
Examples
- We ran out of fuel in the middle of nowhere.
- The plane almost ran out of fuel before landing.
add fuel to the fire
1/ˈæd fjˈul tə ðə fˈaɪɚ/
idiom
Make a bad situation worse
To make a bad situation worse by doing or saying something.
Examples
- His rude comment only added fuel to the fire.
- Yelling at him will only add fuel to the fire.
- Canceling the meeting at the last minute added fuel to the fire.
- Her comments added fuel to the fire during the heated meeting.