defoliant
noun
de·fo·li·ant
(ˌ)dē-ˈfō-lē-ənt 
: a chemical spray or dust applied to plants in order to cause the leaves to drop off prematurely
Examples of defoliant in a Sentence
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Addressing the painful legacy of the chemical’s wartime use as a defoliant, along with other issues tied to American military involvement in Vietnam, has offered the U.S. a chance to fuse past and present, soft power and hard power, in the service of courting a rising regional power.
—
Damien Cave, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
This led the 77-year-old to seek care from the VA decades later over concerns of exposure to Agent Orange − an infamous toxic defoliant used during the Vietnam War that can cause cancer and other diseases.
—USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
The cause was Parkinson’s disease, which his family said resulted from exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic chemical sprayed by American aircraft as a defoliant in Vietnam.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024
American planes roaring overhead, releasing bombs, rockets and defoliants like Agent Orange, became part of their everyday existence.
—Saqib Rahim, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2023
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Damien Cave, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
This led the 77-year-old to seek care from the VA decades later over concerns of exposure to Agent Orange − an infamous toxic defoliant used during the Vietnam War that can cause cancer and other diseases.
—USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024
The cause was Parkinson’s disease, which his family said resulted from exposure to Agent Orange, the toxic chemical sprayed by American aircraft as a defoliant in Vietnam.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2024
American planes roaring overhead, releasing bombs, rockets and defoliants like Agent Orange, became part of their everyday existence.
—Saqib Rahim, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for defoliant
Cite this Entry
“Defoliant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defoliant. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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defoliant
noun
de·fo·li·ant
(ˈ)dē-ˈfō-lē-ənt
: a chemical that is applied to plants and causes their leaves to drop off
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