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
The Phoenix Fire Department responded with a hazmat unit and evacuated the office.
—
Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 22 Oct. 2024
The Raleigh Police and Fire Departments quickly responded to the incident -- which was treated as a hazmat situation -- and bomb technicians X-rayed the package, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2024
Others rocked up in hazmat suits in a sarcastic swipe at China’s stringent Covid control measures, which saw Shanghai locked down for roughly two months and sparked rare protests.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
Federal Railroad Administration and Environmental Protection Agency officials are on the ground assisting with hazmat operations and air quality testing, according to the statement.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hazmat 
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Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 22 Oct. 2024
The Raleigh Police and Fire Departments quickly responded to the incident -- which was treated as a hazmat situation -- and bomb technicians X-rayed the package, according to Lt. Jason Borneo of the Raleigh Police Department.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2024
Others rocked up in hazmat suits in a sarcastic swipe at China’s stringent Covid control measures, which saw Shanghai locked down for roughly two months and sparked rare protests.
—Chris Lau, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
Federal Railroad Administration and Environmental Protection Agency officials are on the ground assisting with hazmat operations and air quality testing, according to the statement.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hazmat
Dictionary Entries Near hazmat
Cite this Entry
“Hazmat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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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