inhalant

noun

in·​hal·​ant in-ˈhā-lənt 

: something (such as an allergen or medication) that is inhaled

inhalant adjective

Examples of inhalant in a Sentence

The medicine is now available as an inhalant.

Recent Examples on the Web

The ordinance creates new zoning for stores that sell tobacco, inhalants, and cannabinoids. —Jessica Riley, CBS News, 9 June 2026

Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral. —Jason Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2026

Many adolescents are encountering videos or online discussions that normalize inhalant use. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 15 May 2026

According to the National Institutes of Health, inhalants can cause death and/or severe health issues, including suffocation and cardiac arrest. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inhalant

• assailant
• covalent
• divalent
• hexavalent
• monovalent
• multivalent
• pentavalent
• polyvalent
• tetravalent
• univalent

Kids Definition

inhalant

noun

in·​hal·​ant in-ˈhā-lənt 

: something (as a medicine-containing spray) that is inhaled

inhalant adjective

Medical Definition

inhalant

1 of 2 noun

in·​hal·​ant

variants also inhalent

in-ˈhā-lənt 

1

: something (as an allergen or an anesthetic vapor) that is inhaled

2

: any of various often toxic volatile substances (as spray paint, glue, or paint thinner) whose fumes are sometimes inhaled for their euphoric effect

inhalant

2 of 2 adjective

variants also inhalent

: used for inhaling or constituting an inhalant

inhalant anesthetics