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
Video of the raid shows naval personnel dressed in hazmat suits while inspecting containers.
—
Kerry Breen, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Longtime Irvine residents can remember a separate, unrelated hazmat case in a different Irvine neighborhood 26 years ago, when law enforcement authorities removed 27 canisters packed with plastic explosives and other hazardous materials from the home of a doctor in Woodbridge.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
The second-floor courtroom was shut down by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office while a specialized hazmat team cleaned and secured the area.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
She's seen here at 10 years old trying on a hazmat suit during a visit to the CDC Museum.
—Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
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Kerry Breen, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Longtime Irvine residents can remember a separate, unrelated hazmat case in a different Irvine neighborhood 26 years ago, when law enforcement authorities removed 27 canisters packed with plastic explosives and other hazardous materials from the home of a doctor in Woodbridge.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
The second-floor courtroom was shut down by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office while a specialized hazmat team cleaned and secured the area.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
She's seen here at 10 years old trying on a hazmat suit during a visit to the CDC Museum.
—Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 16 Feb. 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 6 Mar. 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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