pepper spray

noun

: a temporarily disabling aerosol that is composed partly of capsicum oleoresin and causes irritation and blinding of the eyes and inflammation of the nose, throat, and skin

Examples of pepper spray in a Sentence

The police used pepper spray to bring the suspect under control.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The man is then seen spraying pepper spray at the officer and barging into the courthouse. Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Simmons was one of two jailers who sprayed pepper spray directly into Johnson’s mouth before another guard, Rafael Moreno, placed a knee on his back. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2025 Give top lieutenants Brian Gaine and Terrance Gray pepper spray. Tim Graham, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 Turkish police pepper spray protesters in Istanbul Police officers seen pepper spraying protesters as people gathered in support of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu near the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building, in Istanbul, Turkey, March 23, 2025. Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pepper spray

Word History

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pepper spray was in 1979

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pepper spray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pepper%20spray. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!