lighter fluid

noun

: the liquid in a lighter (such as a cigarette lighter) that is its fuel

: a liquid accelerant used especially to ignite charcoal briquettes for grilling food

The average back-yard chef, wishing to cook hamburgers, tries to ignite the charcoal via the Squirt, Light and Wait Method, wherein you squirt lighter fluid on a pile of briquettes, light the pile, then wait until they have turned a uniform grey.—

Dave Barry

Examples of lighter fluid 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.

Advertisement Police alleged that Cole set a bush on fire next to a home in Fountain Valley’s Arches Court neighborhood after dousing it with lighter fluid. —

Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2024 Gloves and bleach were found in the front of the car and lighter fluid was in the backseat, the medical examiner wrote in the report. —

Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 25 Nov. 2024 Grilling Don't use lighter fluid or an accelerant to light your grill. —

Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 27 June 2024 Then Woody sent him into the house for matches and lighter fluid. —

Shaun Raviv, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2020 See all Example Sentences for lighter fluid

Word History

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of lighter fluid was in 1922

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Lighter fluid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighter%20fluid. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

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