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to fuel

to fuel

177 4.3
To make feelings, arguments or actions stronger
  • verb
  • /fjul/
translation icon : alimentar
  • Moments such as this seemed to fuel the social workers' interest in dementia care.
  • fuel fears
  • fuel debate
  • fuel anger

As you do, pay attention to what fuels you and what doesn't.

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Examples

  • Fueled by the media, fear and panic spread quickly, fracturing and dividing the country until, at last, the true goal comes into view.

  • That fuelled me more than anything, to prove you all wrong.

  • Hatred will not fuel a change in your life.

  • Without reason, passion is blind; without passion to fuel a project, reason leads nowhere.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Persistent labor demand continued to fuel strong wage growth.

  • Now those very traits may actually be what are fueling your success.

  • Change is the question of how our planet's future will be fueled and at what cost.

    Academic text (2012)
  • It is these PhD students that fuel our faculty scholarship.

  • It was a grassroots movement, fueled by the power of the Internet and the cult of personality.

  • Her determination to succeed only fuels her ambition to reach new heights.

Synonyms

to heat
vsto fuel
138 5.9

To cause strong feelings or excitement

is broader, applying to increase intensity beyond just feelings
to fire up
vsto fuel
  • Informal
70 4.1

Make people feel excited and ready to act

often applies more broadly to increase intensity of actions or arguments
to heat up
vsto fuel
57 3.4

To become more intense or make a situation more intense

focuses specifically on emotions, arguments, or activities
to ignite
vsto fuel
47 4.4

To cause strong feelings in someone

is wider, covering increasing intensity in activities or arguments too
to energize
vsto fuel
  • US
30 4.7

To give more energy to something, for example with electricity or light

is not only about energy but about intensifying feelings or arguments
to pump up
vsto fuel
  • Informal
28 4.1

Make someone feel excited and full of energy

focuses on raising intensity rather than starting it
to invigorate
vsto fuel
26 5.5

To give more energy and make someone or something feel lively

is more about raising intensity of feelings or activity rather than physical vitality
26 4.2

Make a situation more urgent to force someone to act

is more general, not always about forcing action with added pressure
to stoke
vsto fuel
7 5.6

To add fuel or stir a fire to make it burn hotter

is used metaphorically to increase intensity beyond tending literal flames
to add fuel to the fire
vsto fuel
  • Informal
7 5.9

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that makes people angrier

is more neutral, covering any increase not only worsening problems
to light a fire under
vsto fuel
  • Informal
7 6.7

To make someone want to work harder and faster

is about increasing intensity generally, not specifically to spur quick action
to enliven
vsto fuel
6 4.1

Make something more active and interesting

is focused on increasing intensity of emotions or actions rather than mere interest
to reenergize
vsto fuel
  • US
3 4.1

To give new energy and enthusiasm to a person or thing

is broader, covering initial increases not only renewed energy
to feed the fire
vsto fuel
2 4.8

To put extra fuel on a fire or make a disagreement worse

is the broader term for increasing intensity beyond just keeping issues alive
to stoke up
vsto fuel
  • Informal
1 5.4

To add fuel to a fire or make energy and excitement stronger

is the basic act of making something more intense, not only literal burning
to ignite passion
vsto fuel
1 5.0

Make someone feel very excited and interested in something

is used more generally for intensity beyond just enthusiasm
to turbocharge
vsto fuel
1 6.2

To make something much faster or more effective

is mainly about making emotions or arguments stronger rather than efficiency
to hot up
vsto fuel
  • UK
1 7.7

To become more active or exciting in a situation

is the general form not marked as British
to enflame
vsto fuel
6.4

To make feelings like anger or excitement stronger

is broader and not limited to anger or excitement
to juice up
vsto fuel
  • Informal
6.7

Make an event like a party more lively and exciting

is used more generally to increase intensity not only liveliness
to enkindle
vsto fuel
  • Archaic
9.1

To make something start to burn, like a fire or a strong feeling

focuses on increasing existing intensity rather than starting it

Antonyms

305 2.8

To make people and things less strong or effective

201 3.7

To become less in size, importance, or value

Idioms

7 5.9

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something that makes people angrier

like jet fuel
  • Informal
1 8.4

With very strong energy that makes someone act quickly

To make a bad situation worse by saying or doing something

Phrasal Verbs

Use less fuel to lower your costs

Compounds

125 3.3

A fuel like coal, oil, or natural gas made from ancient plants and animals

fuel cell
  • Specialized
32 4.5

A device that makes electricity from hydrogen and oxygen

nuclear fuel
  • Specialized
17 4.6

A material like uranium or plutonium used to make energy in a nuclear reactor

fuel line
  • Specialized
15 3.1

A tube that carries fuel from a tank to an engine

diesel fuel
  • Specialized
14 2.8

A heavy oil used to power engines in vehicles and machines

jet fuel
  • Specialized
13 3.5

A liquid that planes burn in their engines to make them run

rocket fuel
  • Specialized
9 3.9

A substance you burn to move a rocket into space

fuel injection
  • Specialized
5 3.6

A system that sprays small drops of fuel directly into an engine's cylinders to help the engine run better

fuel oil
  • Specialized
5 3.5

A heavy oil that heats buildings and runs engines

fuel system
  • Specialized
4 3.6

A part of a car or plane that stores and gives fuel to the engine

4 2.9

A device that shows how much fuel is left in a car's tank

fuel filter
  • Specialized
3 3.4

A device in a fuel line that removes dirt and rust from fuel before it reaches the engine

fuel pod
  • Specialized
2 5.5

A removable container that attaches to a plane or spacecraft to hold extra fuel

1 3.0

The amount of fuel left in a tank

fuel-air explosive
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A weapon that sprays fuel into the air and then sets it on fire to make a very strong blast

fuel injection system
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A part of a car engine that sprays small drops of fuel into the cylinders

Amount of fuel a vehicle like a car uses for a certain distance or time

fuel-air bomb
  • Specialized
1 8.4

A bomb that spreads fuel into the air and then explodes to make a very large blast

combustion of fuel
  • Specialized
4.2

A process where fuel burns in air to make heat and light for energy

fuel for success
  • Informal
4.2

A thing that gives a person energy and drive to do well

A device that shows how much fuel is left in a car's tank

high-test fuel
  • Specialized
6.2

Fuel with a high octane rating for powerful car or plane engines

smoker fuel
  • Specialized
6.7

Natural material burned in a bee smoker to make smoke that calms bees

solid-fuel rocket
  • Specialized
5.3

An engine that burns solid fuel to push a vehicle into the sky

How Intense

to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7
to foment
  • Formal
21 8.4
to inflame
31 5.8
to fuel
177 4.3
to stir up
48 4.8
to encourage
2.3

Surface Forms

fuel infinitive
fueled past
fueled past participle
fueling present participle
fuels third person singular

Etymology

The verb fuel comes from the same idea as burning: because fuel makes a fire burn more, to fuel an emotion or argument means to make it grow stronger.