: a colorless odorless flammable gaseous hydrocarbon CH4 that is a product of biological decomposition of organic matter and of the carbonization of coal, is used as a fuel and as a starting material in chemical synthesis, and is the simplest of the alkanes
Examples of methane in a Sentence
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Cold seeps are cracks in the seafloor where chemicals like hydrogen sulfide and methane leak into the water, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
From 2015 to 2022, methane emissions from U.S. oil and natural gas production went down 37%, while production increased 40%, according to Environmental Protection Agency data.
—Edward Cross, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Ken Alex lost financial support for research on landfill methane emissions, a significant contributor to climate change.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 5 June 2025
This came as a surprise as methane typically breaks down under such heat, the study notes.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 June 2025
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Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
From 2015 to 2022, methane emissions from U.S. oil and natural gas production went down 37%, while production increased 40%, according to Environmental Protection Agency data.
—Edward Cross, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Ken Alex lost financial support for research on landfill methane emissions, a significant contributor to climate change.
—Tyler Kingkade, NBC news, 5 June 2025
This came as a surprise as methane typically breaks down under such heat, the study notes.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for methane
Cite this Entry
“Methane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/methane. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
methane
noun
meth·ane
ˈmeth-ˌān 
: a colorless odorless flammable gas that consists of carbon and hydrogen and is produced by decay of organic matter
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