hydrocarbon
noun
hy·dro·car·bon
ˈhī-drō-ˌkär-bən 
: an organic compound (such as acetylene or butane) containing only carbon and hydrogen and often occurring in petroleum, natural gas, coal, and bitumens
Examples of hydrocarbon in a Sentence
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The process is engineered around the high energy requirements of methane cracking, which serves as a proxy for achieving full conversion of less stable hydrocarbons.
—
David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The blowout spewed 20,000 barrels of water and 5,000 barrels of hydrocarbons into the air, and those liquids covered the school, homes and other structures within a 1.5-mile radius of the well — an area that covers seven square miles, or 4,500 acres.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 26 June 2025
Back in the 1970s, during the oil crisis, scientists were exploring the thermal decomposition of polymers – especially polyethylene and polypropylene – as a means of reclaiming hydrocarbons.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Today, there are a number of companies that specialize in thermal degradation depolymerization methods to convert plastic into liquid hydrocarbons – gasoline, synthetic diesel, kerosene, and oil.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
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David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The blowout spewed 20,000 barrels of water and 5,000 barrels of hydrocarbons into the air, and those liquids covered the school, homes and other structures within a 1.5-mile radius of the well — an area that covers seven square miles, or 4,500 acres.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 26 June 2025
Back in the 1970s, during the oil crisis, scientists were exploring the thermal decomposition of polymers – especially polyethylene and polypropylene – as a means of reclaiming hydrocarbons.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
Today, there are a number of companies that specialize in thermal degradation depolymerization methods to convert plastic into liquid hydrocarbons – gasoline, synthetic diesel, kerosene, and oil.
—New Atlas, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hydrocarbon
Cite this Entry
“Hydrocarbon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocarbon. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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hydrocarbon
noun
hy·dro·car·bon
ˌhī-drə-ˈkär-bən
: a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen
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