Word
fume
US/ˈfjum/
UK/fjˈuːm/
Plural noun
Definition
n. strong smoke or gas that smells bad and can hurt your eyes, throat, or lungs.
n. irritating smoke, gas, or vapour released by fire, fuel, or chemicals.
Examples
“The car gives off thick fumes in the garage.”
“The workers open the windows because paint fumes fill the small room.”
“Diesel fumes hang over the morning traffic jam while commuters wait with windows closed against the acrid air.”
Examples
simple
“The car gives off thick fumes in the garage.”
contextual
“The workers open the windows because paint fumes fill the small room.”
complex
“Diesel fumes hang over the morning traffic jam while commuters wait with windows closed against the acrid air.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “fume” in context.
Verb
01. choke on fumes
“Residents choked on fumes from the nearby fire.”
verb + prep + noun
02. emit fumes
“Old buses emit fumes that pollute the city centre.”
verb + noun
03. fumes escape
“Dangerous fumes escaped from the cracked pipe.”
noun + verb
04. fumes linger
“Chemical fumes lingered in the basement for hours.”
noun + verb
05. fumes rise
“Thick black fumes rose from the burning warehouse.”
noun + verb
Adjective
06. acrid fumes
“Acrid fumes from the burning plastic made our eyes water.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. cloud of fumes
“A cloud of fumes drifted across the motorway.”
noun + prep + noun
08. exhaust fumes
“Exhaust fumes make cycling in heavy traffic unpleasant.”
noun + noun
09. exposure to fumes
“Long exposure to fumes can seriously damage your lungs.”
noun + prep + noun
10. choking on the fumes
“We opened all the doors because we were choking on the fumes.”
11. exposed to chemical fumes
“Factory staff should not be exposed to chemical fumes.”
12. filled with choking fumes
“Within minutes, the kitchen was filled with choking fumes.”
Usage
Most commonly used in the plural as 'fumes' with plural verb agreement.
Real-World Examples
“Authorities are investigating the reason behind a mechanical malfunction that led to 20 workers at a cheese production facility in eastern New Mexico inhaling harmful fumes.” “Over the past three months, hundreds of young girls attending different schools in Iran have become overpowered by what are believed to be noxious fumes wafting into their classrooms, with some ending up weakened on hospital beds.” “Private generators are ubiquitous in parts of the Middle East, spewing hazardous fumes into homes and business across the country, almost 24 hours a day.” “The smoke that is produced by firecrackers contains heavy metals like sulphur, lead and toxic gases like carbon monoxide and fumes of heavy metals that are dangerous to our respiratory system,” said Arun Kumar Sharma, a community medicine professor at New Delhi’s University College of Medical Sciences.” Etymology
From Middle English fume, from Old French fum (“smoke, steam, vapour”), from Latin fūmus (“vapour, smoke”), from Proto-Indo-European dʰuh₂mós (“smoke”), from dʰewh₂- (“to smoke, raise dust”). Doublet of thymus and thymos. More at dun, dusk, dust.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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