Meanings
nounnightmare fuel (uncountable)
- informaluncountablehuman sciencesSomething that is capable of inducing nightmares, often by being highly disturbing.
Origin
Coined in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1993 to describe a laughing animatronic in the movie Santa Claus.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
nightmare fuel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightmare%20fuel
MLA
“nightmare fuel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightmare%20fuel. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nightmare fuel,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nightmare%20fuel.
Source: nightmare fuel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.