retardant

adjective

re·​tar·​dant ri-ˈtär-dᵊnt 

: serving or tending to retard

a growth-retardant substance

retardant noun

Examples of retardant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That fire was 140 acres on Thursday, with air tankers and helicopters dropping water and retardant to limit its spread. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Planes are dropping retardant lines and bulldozers are pushing vegetation aside so the fire won’t have anything to consume. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Aug. 2026

Each spent the day making their way to and from the Hawk Fire, carrying with them over 9,000 gallons of water and fire retardant to aid fire crews on the frontlines. — Carmela Karcher, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026

Firefighters used a bulldozer, cut down trees and applied fire retardant in their attempt to contain the flames, Hargrove said. — ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing retardant

• flame-retardant

Rhymes for retardant

• ardent

Kids Definition

retardant

adjective

re·​tar·​dant ri-ˈtärd-ᵊnt 

: serving or tending to retard

flame-retardant fabrics