How to Use coal in a Sentence

coal

noun
  • When the coals are red, they are very hot.
  • I toasted one last marshmallow over the coals of the campfire.
  • This wasn’t coal—this was gold.
    — Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
  • Most people do not think about coal ash.
    — Alex Burton, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
  • Methane is trapped in these coal beds.
    — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
  • Like canaries in the coal mine ocean form.
    — Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Solar ranks third, coal fourth and wind fifth.
    — Robert G. Eccles, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side.
    — Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 June 2026
  • Push the coals to one side of the grill cooking area.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
  • That leads back to the question of who will buy the coal.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
  • West Virginia sent some sort of coal art.
    — Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026
  • Mining coal waste Do not let the name fool you.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026
  • One told a boss about red hot coals and smoldering ash.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
  • These early jolts serve as canaries in the coal mine.
    — Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
  • So we're not allowed to say the word coal anymore.
    — Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 12 Feb. 2026
  • Those costs are mostly from the purchase of coal.
    — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
  • Fires and coals are allowed in grills only.
    — Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 17 June 2026
  • Near every fire pit are trash cans designed to hold hot coals.
    — Julia Carmel, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2023
  • In much of the country coal isn’t needed.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Then, wrap the potatoes in foil to protect them from the coals.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 1 Jan. 2026
  • The fire starts with pecan wood, burning down to glowing coals.
    — Staff Author, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Without us, there is no coal mining.
    — William McCool, Washington Post, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The answer, for many countries, is coal.
    — Julius Cesar Trajano, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The coal plant will stop burning coal in 2028.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 18 Dec. 2025
  • China built an average of two new coal plants a week last year.
    — Dave Trecker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
  • The canary for the royal coal mine was the hot equerry.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026
  • So too are the effects of long-term exposure to coal dust.
    — Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 23 Aug. 2025
  • In this country, a spate of bad weather led to wider use of coal to shore up the grid.
    — Dave Trecker, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr. 2026
  • And none of them are being used at coal-burning power plants.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 4 June 2026
  • First, burning gas and coal is still heating up the planet.
    — David Pogue, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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