refuel

verb

re·​fu·​el (ˌ)rē-ˈfyü(-ə)l How to pronounce refuel (audio)
refueled; refueling; refuels

transitive verb

: to provide with additional fuel

intransitive verb

: to take on additional fuel

Examples of refuel in a Sentence

The crew refueled the airplane. The airplane landed to refuel.
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.
This Starship-to-Starship refueling demonstration is an important milestone for SpaceX and NASA to prove the viability of Starship being refueled in low-Earth orbit for lunar missions. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026 Fuel-cell forklifts are zero-emission, can be refueled quickly, maintain consistent power throughout a shift, and eliminate the space required for battery charging and change-out infrastructure. — Josh McMorrow, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 Because that flight is then longer, the carrier has added a stop in Singapore to refuel. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 The Boeing 777-200ER returned to the gate around three hours later to refuel, according to several reports. — Jessica Mekles, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refuel

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of refuel was in 1811

Rhymes for refuel

See All Rhymes for refuel

Browse Nearby Words

reft
refuel
refuge
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refuel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refuel. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

refuel

verb
re·​fu·​el (ˈ)rē-ˈfyü-əl How to pronounce refuel (audio)
: to provide with or take on more fuel
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