lighter fluid

noun

1
: the liquid in a lighter (such as a cigarette lighter) that is its fuel
2
: a liquid accelerant used especially to ignite charcoal briquettes for grilling food
The average back-yard chef, wishing to cook hamburgers, tries to ignite the charcoal via the Squirt, Light and Wait Method, wherein you squirt lighter fluid on a pile of briquettes, light the pile, then wait until they have turned a uniform grey.Dave Barry

Examples of lighter fluid in a Sentence

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.
Racial issues are central to the novel, making Opal’s onstage self-assuredness a feast for her fans, lighter fluid to her haters. Lauren Morrow september 9, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2025 Inside the building, law enforcement found blood near a broken window and a lighter fluid bottle near an undetonated Molotov cocktail, according to the DOJ. Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025 Jones was clearly talking about White’s attempt to douse the woman in lighter fluid and set her on fire as one of the most egregious factors. Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025 Maybe squirt some lighter fluid on it and strike a match, just to be sure. Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lighter fluid

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lighter fluid was in 1922

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Cite this Entry

“Lighter fluid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighter%20fluid. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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