petroleum

[puh-troh-lee-uhm] / pəˈtroʊ li əm /

NOUN

oil

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crude oil fossil fuel fuel gas gasoline kerosene natural gas petrol

STRONG

naphtha

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The country has diversified its energy sources, including into renewables, and had built up its strategic petroleum reserve to a greater extent than others, giving it some extra cushion.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

There is a high chance that the Chinese government is using its strategic supply of petroleum to bolster global markets, market researcher Rory Johnston wrote in the Commodity Context newsletter on Substack.

From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026

Prices for energy and petroleum products were up 7.7% between March and April, representing the fourth rise in a row after a steep 26.9% jump in March.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Ancient Greeks discovered the uses of various mixtures of petroleum, pitch, resins, sulfur, and quicklime as incendiary weapons, delivered by catapults, arrows, firebombs, and ships.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Vocabulary lists containing petroleum

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