carcinogen
noun
car·cin·o·gen
kär-ˈsi-nə-jən 
ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen
ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen
: a substance or agent causing cancer
Examples of carcinogen in a Sentence
Cigarette smoke contains known carcinogens.
Recent Examples on the Web
In early 2025, Consumer Reports published a first-of-its-kind investigation into synthetic braiding hair, testing ten of the most popular products on the market and finding toxic heavy metals and carcinogens in nearly all of them.
—
Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 11 May 2026
But monitoring for leaks has proved effective in other industries; fence-line emissions of benzene, a carcinogen, fell 30% at petroleum refineries after implementation of a similar monitoring program, according to the EPA.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 May 2026
Research shows firefighters face a significantly higher risk of cancer due to their exposure to carcinogens.
—Ginger Allen, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Embalming, the process of slowing down a body’s decomposition, involves known carcinogens like formaldehyde that get injected into veins to preserve the body for viewing and services.
—Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for carcinogen
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Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 11 May 2026
But monitoring for leaks has proved effective in other industries; fence-line emissions of benzene, a carcinogen, fell 30% at petroleum refineries after implementation of a similar monitoring program, according to the EPA.
—Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 May 2026
Research shows firefighters face a significantly higher risk of cancer due to their exposure to carcinogens.
—Ginger Allen, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Embalming, the process of slowing down a body’s decomposition, involves known carcinogens like formaldehyde that get injected into veins to preserve the body for viewing and services.
—Dorany Pineda, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for carcinogen
Cite this Entry
“Carcinogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinogen. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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Medical Definition
carcinogen
noun
car·cin·o·gen
kär-ˈsin-ə-jən
ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen
ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen
: a substance or agent causing cancer
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