petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm 
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
Examples of petroleum in a Sentence
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Unless Canadian oil is excluded from the tariffs, gas prices could jump by 20 to 50 cents a gallon in the Great Lakes region because refineries there are most reliant on Canadian oil, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told CNN.
—
Matt Egan, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
The cyclical nature of petroleum production, with prices that cycle between high and low and many companies getting crushed in the markets, have everything to do with the interplay of supply and demand.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The two facilities produce various petroleum products and about 8% of the state’s gasoline.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
These technologies have revolutionized petroleum and natural gas production and made the U.S. the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas.
—Margaret E. Kosal, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2025
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Matt Egan, CNN, 24 Jan. 2025
The cyclical nature of petroleum production, with prices that cycle between high and low and many companies getting crushed in the markets, have everything to do with the interplay of supply and demand.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 20 Jan. 2025
The two facilities produce various petroleum products and about 8% of the state’s gasoline.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
These technologies have revolutionized petroleum and natural gas production and made the U.S. the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas.
—Margaret E. Kosal, The Conversation, 12 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for petroleum
Dictionary Entries Near petroleum
Cite this Entry
“Petroleum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/petroleum. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm
-ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, is obtained from wells drilled in the ground, and is the source of gasoline, kerosene, fuel oils, and other products
Medical Definition
petroleum
noun
pe·tro·leum
pə-ˈtrō-lē-əm, -ˈtrōl-yəm
: an oily flammable bituminous liquid that may vary from almost colorless to black, occurs in many places in the upper strata of the earth, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons with small amounts of other substances, and is prepared for use as gasoline, naphtha, or other products by various refining processes
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