kerosene
noun
ker·o·sene
ˈker-ə-ˌsēn 
ˌker-ə-ˈsēn
ˌker-ə-ˈsēn
variants
or less commonly kerosine
: a flammable hydrocarbon oil usually obtained by distillation of petroleum and used as a fuel, solvent, and thinner
Examples of kerosene in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Once dependent on kerosene lamps and diesel generators, many villages now run on clean energy.
—
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
It was built entirely in Canada, fueled by kerosene and ambition, and spearheaded by a startup with its eyes on orbit.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 8 July 2025
In at least one instance, a Muslim boy was forced to drink kerosene and swallow a lighted match.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
The first few Long March rockets used highly toxic and corrosive rocket fuels, but the newest multistage rockets use clean and powerful liquid propellants (kerosene and liquid oxygen for the first stage, hydrogen and liquid oxygen for the upper stage).
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2013
See All Example Sentences for kerosene
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Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
It was built entirely in Canada, fueled by kerosene and ambition, and spearheaded by a startup with its eyes on orbit.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 8 July 2025
In at least one instance, a Muslim boy was forced to drink kerosene and swallow a lighted match.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
The first few Long March rockets used highly toxic and corrosive rocket fuels, but the newest multistage rockets use clean and powerful liquid propellants (kerosene and liquid oxygen for the first stage, hydrogen and liquid oxygen for the upper stage).
—IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2013
See All Example Sentences for kerosene
Cite this Entry
“Kerosene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kerosene. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kerosene
noun
ker·o·sene
variants
also kerosine
: a thin oil obtained from petroleum and used as a fuel and solvent
Medical Definition
kerosene
noun
ker·o·sene
variants
also kerosine
: a flammable hydrocarbon oil usually obtained by distillation of petroleum and used for a fuel and as a solvent and thinner (as in insecticide emulsions)
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