# coal

/ˈkoʊɫ/ (US) · /kˈəʊl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/coal
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. fossil fuel

noun · CEFR B1

a hard black rock from underground that is burned to produce heat or electricity.

For teachers: a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock used as a solid fossil fuel. Uncountable when referring to the substance; countable when referring to types or pieces.

- The old power station burned coal to create electricity for the whole city.
- Despite the global shift toward renewable energy, several developing economies still rely heavily on coal to meet their industrial power demands.

### 2. burning ember

noun · CEFR B2

a glowing piece of wood or fuel in a fire.

For teachers: a piece of glowing or charred wood, charcoal, or other solid fuel in a fire.

- We roasted marshmallows over the red coals of the campfire.
- As the flames died down, the hikers huddled closer to the glowing coals to stay warm through the freezing night.

### 3. bad internet content

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Informal

very low-quality or boring content found on the internet.

For teachers: a slang term used in online subcultures to describe content perceived as low-quality, forced, or unappealing.

- Don't bother clicking that link; it's just pure coal.
- The forum was quickly overwhelmed by users posting coal, making it nearly impossible to find any meaningful discussion.

### 4. to supply with fuel

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to provide a ship or train with a supply of coal.

For teachers: to supply a vessel or locomotive with coal; also used intransitively to describe the act of taking on such a supply.

- The steamship stopped at the port to coal before crossing the ocean.
- The logistics of coaling a fleet of steam-powered warships required a global network of strategic supply stations.

### 5. colour

adjective · CEFR B2 · Literary

having a very dark black colour, like coal.

For teachers: of the colour of coal; jet-black. Usually used in the compound 'coal-black'.

- The cat had coal black fur that shone in the sunlight.
- The stallion's coal coat provided a stark contrast to the white winter landscape through which it galloped.

## Examples

- The steam engine burns coal to move the train.
- Many countries are trying to reduce their reliance on coal to lower carbon emissions and meet climate goals.
- The industrial revolution was fueled by the extraction of coal from deep mines, transforming agrarian societies into urban manufacturing hubs within a few generations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.