afterburner

noun

af·​ter·​burn·​er ˈaf-tər-ˌbər-nər 

1

: a device incorporated into the tailpipe of a turbojet engine for injecting fuel into the hot exhaust gases and burning it to provide extra thrust

2

: a device for burning or catalytically destroying unburned or partially burned carbon compounds in exhaust (as from an automobile)

Examples of afterburner in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That year’s Cadillac Eldorado took jet-age styling to the extreme, with rear fenders like fuselages, chrome bumpers sculpted into afterburners, and razor-sharp fins topped by dual-bullet taillights. —Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2025

Overture’s medium-bypass turbofan engine, Symphony, will run on sustainable aviation fuel and produce noise levels comparable to subsonic jets, unlike Concorde’s deafening, CO2-emitting afterburners. —IEEE Spectrum, 8 Feb. 2025

Pick up wings or tenders with flavors like Carolina gold BBQ, Cajun voodoo, cruisin’ altitude, afterburner, garlic parm, sweet chili and plenty more. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 6 Feb. 2025

But yes, there’s also a meta-textual level where the prose goes on afterburners and is stylistically different. —Stuart Miller, Orange County Register, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

afterburning "burning of combustible gases after they have left the engine" (from after- + burning, gerund of burn entry 1) + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for afterburner

• burner
• earner
• learner
• sterner

Kids Definition

afterburner

noun

af·​ter·​burn·​er -ˌbər-nər 

: a burner attached to the tail pipe of a turbojet engine for forcing fuel into the hot exhaust gases and burning it to provide extra forward push