Synonyms for
Petroleum
Definition
a dark-colored, flammable liquid found in the earth, consisting mainly of a mixture of hydrocarbons.
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Formal
Informal
Literary
Antonyms
Common collocations
- crude petroleum
- petroleum products
- petroleum industry
- petroleum reserves
- petroleum gas
- petroleum jelly
- petroleum ether
Word family
Usage note
Petroleum is a formal term. In informal contexts, 'oil' is commonly used. It refers to a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid found beneath the Earth's surface, which can be refined into various fuels.
Example sentences
- The country's economy depends heavily on its petroleum exports.
- The car engine needs petroleum to run.
- Petroleum is a non-renewable resource.
- The workers on the oil rig extract petroleum from deep beneath the ground.
- The price of petroleum has increased over the years.
Quotes
"Oil is like a wild animal in captivity. When producers try to control prices, as OPEC did in the 1970s, that is like trying to tame a wild animal. The animal may appear to be tamed for a while, but eventually it will bite back." - Daniel Yergin
"We're going to continue to use petroleum products and coal, but we have to do it in a cleaner way. Anything we can do to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases is going to be beneficial." - Mike Pompeo
"The discovery of oil has been a curse in some ways, but it's also been a blessing for us in Iraq." - Ahmed Chalabi
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