natural gas

noun

1
: gas issuing from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells
especially : a combustible mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons used chiefly as a fuel and raw material
2
: gas manufactured from organic matter (such as coal)

Examples of natural gas in a Sentence

a house heated by natural gas
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.
Currently, global data centers are powered mostly by coal (30%), followed by renewables at 27% and natural gas at 26%. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 The owner of one of the largest natural gas providers in Russia not managed by the state, Mikhelson became one the first individuals to be sanctioned in the UK shortly after the war’s onset. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The talks come as Paz faces protests over his decision to scrap fuel subsidies in a country that once exported natural gas to its neighbors but now struggles with fuel shortages and declining hydrocarbon production. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 The Michigan Public Service Commission on Thursday approved a $139 million natural gas rate increase for Consumers Energy, more than 40% lower than originally requested. — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for natural gas

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of natural gas was in 1825

Rhymes for natural gas

See All Rhymes for natural gas

Browse Nearby Words

natural function
natural gas
natural gasoline
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Natural gas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20gas. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

natural gas

noun
: gas that comes from the earth's crust through natural openings or bored wells
especially : a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons and especially methane used chiefly as a fuel and raw material

More from Merriam-Webster on natural gas

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about natural gas

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All