chemical

adjective

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chem·i·cal | \ ˈke-mi-kəl

Definition of chemical

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, used in, or produced by chemistry or the phenomena of chemistry chemical reactions

2a : acting or operated or produced by chemicals a chemical fire extinguisher

b : detectable by chemical means

chemical

noun

Definition of chemical (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a substance obtained by a chemical process or producing a chemical effect

2 : drug sense 2

Other Words from chemical More Example Sentences Phrases Containing chemical Learn More About chemical

Examples of chemical in a Sentence

Adjective They studied the compound's chemical structure.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Antibiotic resistance, for example, is a form of evolutionary response to our ample use of a select number of chemical weapons against bacteria. — Grrlscientist, Forbes, 31 July 2022 From 1941 to 1944, professors on the medical faculty there forced at least 250 people from concentration or death camps to undergo experiments, some involving chemical weapons like mustard gas or deadly diseases like typhus. — New York Times, 24 July 2022 The 1925 Geneva Protocol was intended to ban military use of chemical weapons in warfare. — Matthew R. Francis, Scientific American, 20 July 2022 And grenades, chemical weapons and other munitions have been turning up on the island’s hiking trails and beaches for decades. — Theo Greenly, Anchorage Daily News, 14 July 2022 The chemical precursors to the drugs are being shipped largely from China to Mexico, where much of the illicit fentanyl supply is produced in labs before being smuggled into the U.S. — Geoff Mulvihill, Chron, 3 Apr. 2022 The chemical precursors to the drugs are being shipped largely from China to Mexico, where much of the illicit fentanyl supply is produced in labs before being smuggled into the U.S. — Geoff Mulvihill, ajc, 3 Apr. 2022 The governments committed to targeting importers of chemical precursors for fentanyl and methamphetamine, their financial networks and secret labs. — Arkansas Online, 9 Oct. 2021 In his vehicle, officers found a large stash of chemical precursors that can be used in making explosive devices. — John Caniglia, cleveland, 1 Oct. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The additional water vapor in the stratosphere could also lead to chemical reactions that temporarily contribute to the depletion of Earth's protective ozone. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, 3 Aug. 2022 The interchangeable clear or yellow frames are a nice perk, and the nylon frame will hold up well to any chemical or heat issues on the job site. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 27 July 2022 The dial’s striking color is a result of heating the meteorite, which causes chemical reactions in its material, according to the Swiss watchmaker. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 20 July 2022 Several chemical reactions that are necessary for aquatic organisms to survive and grow require a very narrow pH range. — Quartz, 19 July 2022 Ozone production accelerates during a heatwave, Parrington said, as these chemical reactions happen faster. — Fox News, 19 July 2022 The chemical and pharmaceutical industries alone use 27 percent of the country’s gas supply. — New York Times, 15 July 2022 Forensic teams are yet to reveal their conclusions on how the teens died, with a source close to the investigation saying one theory was a chemical or gas leak and authorities also investigating possible accidental poisoning. — Reuters, NBC News, 13 July 2022 Biosensors built into the chip would measure the products of these chemical reactions and then direct the cilia to further manipulate the liquid’s flow, allowing the chip to perform additional tests to confirm the results. — Saugat Bolakhe, Scientific American, 11 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chemical.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for chemical

Adjective

chemic or its source, Medieval Latin chimicus + -al entry 1

Noun

derivative of chemical entry 1

Learn More About chemical

Dictionary Entries Near chemical

chemic

chemical

chemical abuse

Statistics for chemical

Last Updated

10 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Chemical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chemical. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for chemical

chemical

adjective

chem·i·cal | \ ˈke-mi-kəl

Kids Definition of chemical

(Entry 1 of 2)

: of or relating to chemistry or chemicals

chemical

noun

Kids Definition of chemical (Entry 2 of 2)

: any substance (as an acid) that is formed when two or more other substances act upon one another or that is used to produce a change in another substance

chemical

adjective

chem·i·cal | \ ˈkem-i-kəl