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
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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
In a video posted by Russia’s Defense Ministry on Telegram, two men wearing hazmat suits are seen opening the doors to the back of a truck parked on the side of a road.
—
Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The latter number qualifies as hazmat level, or more than 140 proof, meaning the FAA prohibits you from carrying it onboard an aircraft.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 May 2025
Cleanup crews in white hazmat suits and respirators typically needed up to three days to scrape away the material and remove it in sealed containers.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The northbound lanes to the FDR Drive were shut down as 60 firefighters and an FDNY hazmat team were called to extinguish the lithium-ion battery that powered the Tesla.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
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Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
The latter number qualifies as hazmat level, or more than 140 proof, meaning the FAA prohibits you from carrying it onboard an aircraft.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 13 May 2025
Cleanup crews in white hazmat suits and respirators typically needed up to three days to scrape away the material and remove it in sealed containers.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2025
The northbound lanes to the FDR Drive were shut down as 60 firefighters and an FDNY hazmat team were called to extinguish the lithium-ion battery that powered the Tesla.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
Cite this Entry
“Hazmat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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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