variants
or less commonly propellent
: something that propels: such as
a
: an explosive for propelling projectiles
b
: fuel plus oxidizer used by a rocket engine
c
: a gas kept under pressure in a bottle or can for expelling the contents when the pressure is released
Examples of propellant in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2025
SpaceX pulled off the maneuver for the first time during the May flight test, which requires less propellant to be held in reserve and enables the rocket to carry a heavier payload.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Equipped with two rails, the weapon uses an electric pulse—instead of explosive chemical propellants—to generate an electromagnetic force that accelerates a projectile to up to six times the speed of sound, hitting its target with extreme velocity.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propellant
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Adjective
SpaceX needed to overcome problems with Starship's propulsion and propellant systems that plagued three previous test flights.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2025
SpaceX pulled off the maneuver for the first time during the May flight test, which requires less propellant to be held in reserve and enables the rocket to carry a heavier payload.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
The project's goal is to demonstrate a new way of minimizing boil-off of super-cold rocket propellant and controlling fuel tank pressure in microgravity.
—Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
Equipped with two rails, the weapon uses an electric pulse—instead of explosive chemical propellants—to generate an electromagnetic force that accelerates a projectile to up to six times the speed of sound, hitting its target with extreme velocity.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for propellant
Cite this Entry
“Propellant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propellant. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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