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high-octane

/ˌhaɪ ˌˈɑkteɪn/
IPA guide

Use the adjective high-octane for premium fuel that's better for a car's engine, or to describe anything particularly strong or powerful, like your dad's high-octane coffee that wakes him up in the morning.

Different kinds of fuel have different octane numbers or ratings. The higher this number is, the better the fuel withstands being compressed in an engine, without pockets of air causing it to burn unevenly and cause a metallic knocking sound. High-octane describes good fuel, but it's also come to mean "supercharged" or "energetic." A high-octane play on the football field is thrilling to watch, and a high-octane movie will keep you on the edge of you seat.

Definitions of high-octane
  1. adjective
    describing a powerful fuel that burns fast and boosts engine performance
    synonyms:
    efficient
    being effective without wasting time or effort or expense
  2. adjective
    very energetic, powerful, or exciting
    “a high-octane sales manager”
    “a high-octane marketing plan”
    dynamic, dynamical
    characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality
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