hydrocarbon
noun
hy·dro·car·bon
ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən 
: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens
Examples of hydrocarbon in a Sentence
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It’s been more than a decade since NASA’s Curiosity rover first detected chlorinated hydrocarbons on Mars.
—
Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
But not long after poly aromatic hydrocarbons, commonly known as lampblack, were found in the soil.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
Contaminants found in the soil include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, lead, arsenic and chromium, the Terracon report stated.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
Italy’s Eni and France’s TotalEnergies are also exploring oil production opportunities in Congo Brazzaville, as the government tries to harness its hydrocarbon reserves to solve economic challenges.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
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Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Big Think, 17 Sep. 2025
But not long after poly aromatic hydrocarbons, commonly known as lampblack, were found in the soil.
—Lou Ponsi, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
Contaminants found in the soil include total petroleum hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, lead, arsenic and chromium, the Terracon report stated.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2025
Italy’s Eni and France’s TotalEnergies are also exploring oil production opportunities in Congo Brazzaville, as the government tries to harness its hydrocarbon reserves to solve economic challenges.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hydrocarbon
Cite this Entry
“Hydrocarbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocarbon. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
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hydrocarbon
noun
hy·dro·car·bon
ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən
: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen
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