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
Did you know?
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
Andrew Halter of the Gloucester County Office of Emergency Management said hazmat units were called out to the lake on Tuesday morning for reports of sick and dying geese.
—
Joe Brandt, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
She's seen here at 10 years old trying on a hazmat suit during a visit to the CDC Museum.
—Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The hazmat team also responded and recovered a package from the vehicle and were investigating.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Alloush has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Operational Management from Cal State Long Beach, along with certifications including occupational health and safety administration supervisor, hazmat waste, and construction project management.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
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Joe Brandt, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
She's seen here at 10 years old trying on a hazmat suit during a visit to the CDC Museum.
—Nancy Badertscher, AJC.com, 16 Feb. 2026
The hazmat team also responded and recovered a package from the vehicle and were investigating.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Alloush has a Bachelor of Business Administration and Operational Management from Cal State Long Beach, along with certifications including occupational health and safety administration supervisor, hazmat waste, and construction project management.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hazmat
Cite this Entry
“Hazmat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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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