fracking

noun

frack·​ing ˈfra-kiŋ How to pronounce fracking (audio)
: the injection of fluid into shale beds at high pressure in order to free up petroleum resources (such as oil or natural gas)
frack verb

Did you know?

Hydraulic fracturing is a technique in which a liquid is injected under high pressure into a well in order to create tiny fissures in the rock deep beneath the earth which then allow gas and oil to flow into the well. The term "hydraulic fracturing" is first known to have appeared in print in a 1948 issue of Oil & Gas Journal. A 1953 issue of the same journal also contains the earliest known print use of "fracking." The word fracking (sometimes spelled fraccing or fracing, particularly by those in the gas and oil industries) was created by shortening "fracturing." The addition of the "k" brings the word into conformity with the inflected forms of similar English words ending in a vowel plus "c," such as shellacking, panicking, and frolicking.

Examples of fracking in a Sentence

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.
Natural gas is often produced by fracking, and the Pittsburgh area is home to heavy concentrations of fracking wells. Ryan Deto, Axios, 16 Apr. 2025 But if the industry can prove to investors that its power plants work as described—which experts expect to happen by the end of the decade—geothermal could expand quickly, just like oil-and-gas fracking did. Alexander C. Kaufman, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025 On the House side, lawmakers will consider bills pertaining to fentanyl classification and fracking. Mychael Schnell, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025 In the mid-2000s, the fracking revolution took off, making the US the largest oil and natural gas producer in the world. Umair Irfan, Vox, 23 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fracking

Word History

Etymology

by shortening & alteration from (hydraulic) fracturing

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fracking was in 1953

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Cite this Entry

“Fracking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fracking. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

fracking

noun
frack·​ing
ˈfra-kiŋ
: the injection of fluid into shale beds at high pressure in order to free up petroleum resources (as oil or natural gas)
frack
ˈfrak
verb
Etymology

from (hydraulic) fracturing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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