: the yellow waxy secretion from the glands of the external ear
called also cerumen
Examples of earwax in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Dirty hearing aids won’t work well (if at all), as even a speck of earwax can clog the delicate electronics, preventing them from relaying sound properly.
—
Christopher Null, Wired News, 22 June 2025
The model was able to distinguish earwax samples from people with and without Parkinson’s with 94 percent accuracy.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2025
While hearing aids can suffer from faulty microphones or water damage, earwax seems to be the biggest culprit.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
These infections are typically caused by bacterial buildup resulting from earwax blockage, a cold or upper respiratory infections.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for earwax
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.
Christopher Null, Wired News, 22 June 2025
The model was able to distinguish earwax samples from people with and without Parkinson’s with 94 percent accuracy.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2025
While hearing aids can suffer from faulty microphones or water damage, earwax seems to be the biggest culprit.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
These infections are typically caused by bacterial buildup resulting from earwax blockage, a cold or upper respiratory infections.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for earwax
Cite this Entry
“Earwax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earwax. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
earwax
noun
ear·wax
ˈi(ə)r-ˌwaks 
: a brownish yellow or orange waxlike substance produced by the glands of the external ear
Medical Definition
earwax
noun
ear·wax
ˈi(ə)r-ˌwaks
: the yellow waxy secretion from the glands of the external ear
called also cerumen
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share