carcinogen
noun
car·cin·o·gen
kär-ˈsi-nə-jən 
ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen
ˈkär-sə-nə-ˌjen
: a substance or agent causing cancer
Examples of carcinogen in a Sentence
Cigarette smoke contains known carcinogens.
Recent Examples on the Web
The World Health Organization has deemed tanning beds to be the same level of carcinogen as smoking and asbestos.
—
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
The cookies do not contain aspartame, a common artificial sweetener that has been flagged in recent years as a potential carcinogen, a cause of cancer.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Dec. 2025
Johannes Thrul of Johns Hopkins says many people don't realize that alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen — in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
Removing the requirement for manufacturers to test talc-containing products for asbestos will unnecessarily expose consumers, and especially women and their babies, to a powerful human carcinogen.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carcinogen
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.
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 16 Dec. 2025
The cookies do not contain aspartame, a common artificial sweetener that has been flagged in recent years as a potential carcinogen, a cause of cancer.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Dec. 2025
Johannes Thrul of Johns Hopkins says many people don't realize that alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen — in the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
—Maria Godoy, NPR, 8 Dec. 2025
Removing the requirement for manufacturers to test talc-containing products for asbestos will unnecessarily expose consumers, and especially women and their babies, to a powerful human carcinogen.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carcinogen
Cite this Entry
“Carcinogen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carcinogen. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
carcinogen
noun
car·cin·o·gen
kär-ˈsin-ə-jən
ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen
ˈkärs-ᵊn-ə-ˌjen
: a substance or agent causing cancer
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share