often attributive
: a material (such as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions
Did you know?
The origin of "hazmat" is clear enough - it was formed by combining the first three letters of each of two words: "hazardous" and "material." The word hazmat is fairly young, first appearing in print in 1980. Although it is a noun, "hazmat" tends to be used attributively, meaning that it often appears in sentences before another noun as if it were performing the duties of an adjective (as in "hazmat team" and "hazmat worker").
Examples of hazmat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Witnesses could be heard commenting on the foul odor of the substance, which was later identified by a hazmat team as apple cider vinegar, Alpha News reported.
—
Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
On Monday, the bomb squad and hazmat crews went to the home to remove the materials.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Rural Metro Fire shut the power off immediately, and after five hours and a complex rescue, first responders and a hazmat team removed Partida from the machine.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Of course, all the responsible hazmat teams say the air is safe to breathe.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
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Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
On Monday, the bomb squad and hazmat crews went to the home to remove the materials.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
Rural Metro Fire shut the power off immediately, and after five hours and a complex rescue, first responders and a hazmat team removed Partida from the machine.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
Of course, all the responsible hazmat teams say the air is safe to breathe.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
Cite this Entry
“Hazmat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hazmat
noun
haz·mat
ˈhaz-ˌmat
often attributive
: a material (as radioactive, flammable, explosive, or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without necessary precautions being taken
toxic waste hauled away by workers in hazmat suits—Tom Spousta
Tom Spoustahazmat storage
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