DDT
noun
: a colorless odorless water-insoluble insecticide C14H9Cl5 that is an aromatic organochlorine banned in the U.S. that tends to accumulate and persist in ecosystems and has toxic effects on many vertebrates
Examples of DDT in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Priest retaliated by attacking McIntyre after breaking through security, but McIntyre regained control, delivering a DDT on the steel steps and stealing Priest's necklace.
—
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
The iconic American bird was almost wiped out in the 1960s due to the pesticide DDT, which poisoned the eagles and made their eggs weak and flimsy.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
The bald eagle, once nearly wiped out by the pesticide DDT, has rebounded thanks to concerted efforts.
—Sarah Metz, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
Beginning in the 1970s and ’80s, wealthy nations exported such unloved materials as asbestos and DDT to impoverished nations like Benin and Haiti, which were desperate to develop their economies yet rarely possessed facilities capable of properly disposing of toxic materials.
—Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for DDT
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.
David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
The iconic American bird was almost wiped out in the 1960s due to the pesticide DDT, which poisoned the eagles and made their eggs weak and flimsy.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
The bald eagle, once nearly wiped out by the pesticide DDT, has rebounded thanks to concerted efforts.
—Sarah Metz, CBS News, 13 Mar. 2025
Beginning in the 1970s and ’80s, wealthy nations exported such unloved materials as asbestos and DDT to impoverished nations like Benin and Haiti, which were desperate to develop their economies yet rarely possessed facilities capable of properly disposing of toxic materials.
—Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for DDT
Cite this Entry
“DDT.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/DDT. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
DDT
noun
: a colorless formerly used insecticide that is poisonous to many animals with backbones
Medical Definition
DDT
noun
: a colorless odorless water-insoluble crystalline insecticide C14H9Cl5 that tends to accumulate in ecosystems and has toxic effects on many vertebrates
called also chlorophenothane, dicophane
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share