often attributive
: a material (such as flammable or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without precautions
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The origin of "hazmat" is clear enough - it was formed by combining the first three letters of each of two words: "hazardous" and "material." The word hazmat is fairly young, first appearing in print in 1980. Although it is a noun, "hazmat" tends to be used attributively, meaning that it often appears in sentences before another noun as if it were performing the duties of an adjective (as in "hazmat team" and "hazmat worker").
Examples of hazmat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Staff often wear hazmat suits due to hazardous conditions.
—
Meg Dunn, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Photos from the scene, also shared by the Manchester Evening News and The Sun, show crime scene investigators in hazmat suits visiting the property, as a vehicle remained parked out front.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Later, a man in a hazmat suit is examining the contaminant.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
Colorado State Patrol hazmat operators are also working on the case, and Denver’s FBI field office has also offered to help.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
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Meg Dunn, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025
Photos from the scene, also shared by the Manchester Evening News and The Sun, show crime scene investigators in hazmat suits visiting the property, as a vehicle remained parked out front.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Later, a man in a hazmat suit is examining the contaminant.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2025
Colorado State Patrol hazmat operators are also working on the case, and Denver’s FBI field office has also offered to help.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
Cite this Entry
“Hazmat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hazmat
noun
haz·mat
ˈhaz-ˌmat
often attributive
: a material (as radioactive, flammable, explosive, or poisonous material) that would be a danger to life or to the environment if released without necessary precautions being taken
toxic waste hauled away by workers in hazmat suits—Tom Spousta
Tom Spoustahazmat storage
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