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
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.
In May, two Israeli Embassy staffers were killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and a Colorado pro-Israeli hostages group was attacked with two Molotov cocktails in June. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025 The rapper took the stand on May 22 to tell the jury about allegations that Diddy had broken into his home and set his car on fire with a Molotov cocktail. Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025 The charging documents identified 225 such incidents, including when defendants had hurled a Molotov cocktail through a window of the state’s Department of Public Safety headquarters, injuring two employees and setting the building ablaze. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025 In 2012 the synagogue was the target of an antisemitic attack after a 19-year-old man on a bicycle threw a Molotov cocktail at the structure. Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 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 22 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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