Molotov cocktail

noun

Mo·​lo·​tov cocktail ˈmä-lə-ˌtȯf- How to pronounce Molotov cocktail (audio)
ˈmȯ-,
ˈmō-,
-ˌtȯv-
: a crude bomb made of a bottle filled with a flammable liquid (such as gasoline) and usually fitted with a wick (such as a saturated rag) that is ignited just before the bottle is hurled

Examples of Molotov cocktail in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The conflict in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas is also of concern, and authorities cite last month's Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder, Colorado, and bias against the Jewish community as an indicator. Luke Barr, ABC News, 1 July 2025 The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office announced the new charges on Monday after the death of Karen Diamond, who suffered severe injuries from the perpetrator’s Molotov cocktails. David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 June 2025 Colorado prosecutors on Monday upgraded the charges against the alleged Boulder terror suspect following the death of an 82-year-old woman who was injured by Molotov cocktails in the June 1 attack. Danielle Wallace, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2025 Cudi testified that his Porsche was later firebombed in his driveway with a Molotov cocktail. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Molotov cocktail

Word History

Etymology

Vyacheslav M. Molotov

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Molotov cocktail was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“Molotov cocktail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Molotov%20cocktail. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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