Meaning & use
carbon dioxide
A colorless gas produced by breathing, burning fuel, and decay, and absorbed by plants.
See it in a sentence
Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen in return.
Burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
A note on using this word
Carbon dioxide is often abbreviated as CO2 in scientific and environmental writing.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “carbon dioxide”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.