chlorine

noun

chlo·rine | \ ˈklȯr-ˌēn ,

-ən \

Definition of chlorine

: a halogen element that is isolated as a heavy greenish-yellow diatomic gas of pungent odor and is used especially as a bleach, oxidizing agent, and disinfectant in water purification — see Chemical Elements Table

Examples of chlorine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Of 633 outbreaks nationwide caused by bacteria, viruses or other things floating around, nearly 80 percent of them were traced to water that was treated with chlorine or other chemicals in swimming pools, hot tubs or wading pools. — Glenn Howatt, chicagotribune.com, "Swimming pools, hot tubs are more likely than lakes to make you sick, studies find," 11 July 2018 The attack also came less than a month after Syrian forces were accused of launching an attack, allegedly with chlorine and nerve gas, on a Damascus suburb on April 7. — Sune Engel Rasmussen, WSJ, "Missile Strikes on Syrian Military Base Kill Dozens," 30 Apr. 2018 Turns out the fountain is not hooked up to the city’s main water pipes, but is fed from its own tank, heavily laced with chlorine to keep it algae-free. — Leah Garchik, San Francisco Chronicle, "America gets some tough love in Paula West concert," 24 Apr. 2018 Since 2018 began, Eastern Ghouta has been the target in at least three suspected attacks using bombs laden with chlorine, which rarely kill but leave people choking. — Anne Barnard And Hwaida Saad, New York Times, "It’s Hard to Believe, but Syria’s War Is Getting Even Worse," 8 Feb. 2018 The massive body of water stays clean with chlorine and a massive pumping system. — Katina Beniaris, Country Living, "This Man Built a Gigantic Swimming Pool Right in His Backyard," 12 July 2017 Wash in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric, using a bleach product, preferably one with chlorine. — Christina Peterson, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Rid of Stains from the 4th of July Barbecue," 8 July 2011 Here in Miami, our water has high levels of chlorine that can irritate some people. — Dr. Leslie Baumann, miamiherald, "How to use a skin cleanser and see results," 3 July 2018 Caps protect your hair (or scalp—bald brethren are not exempt) from the damaging effects of chlorine, keep loose strands out of the water, and help to reduce drag. — Emily Abbate, GQ, "Watch Ryan Gosling Go Swimming in his Ralph Lauren Suit," 26 June 2018

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

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Last Updated

11 Sep 2018

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Time Traveler for chlorine

The first known use of chlorine was in 1810

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More Definitions for chlorine

chlorine

noun

English Language Learners Definition of chlorine

: a chemical that in its natural form is a greenish-yellow gas and has a strong smell

See the full definition for chlorine in the English Language Learners Dictionary

chlorine

noun

chlo·rine | \ ˈklȯr-ˌēn ,

-ən \

Kids Definition of chlorine

: a chemical element that is a greenish yellow irritating gas of strong odor used as a bleach and as a disinfectant to purify water

chlorine

noun

chlo·rine | \ ˈklō(ə)r-ˌēn, ˈklȯ(ə)r-, -ən

Medical Definition of chlorine

: a halogen element that is isolated as a heavy greenish yellow gas of pungent odor and is used especially as a bleach, oxidizing agent, and disinfectant in water purification —symbol Cl — see Chemical Elements Table