nightmare fuel

Questions

What does nightmare fuel mean?

Something that is capable of inducing nightmares, often by being highly disturbing.

Where does nightmare fuel come from?

Coined in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 in 1993 to describe a laughing animatronic in the movie Santa Claus.

How to pronounce nightmare fuel

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nightmare fuel”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nightmare fuel”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “nightmare fuel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.