Petroleuse is a derogatory term used to describe women who participated in the Paris Commune of 1871. In English, the closest synonyms for this word could be "female incendiary" or "female arsonist". However, these terms do not capture the political and gender-specific nature of the word petroleuse. Other synonyms that convey the same meaning as petroleuse might include "female revolutionary", "political activist", "radical woman", or "anarchist". These terms better reflect the broader social and political context in which the petroleuses operated, as well as their motivations and aspirations for greater gender equality.