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: a fog made heavier and darker by smoke and chemical fumes
also
: a photochemical haze caused by the action of solar ultraviolet radiation on atmosphere polluted with hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen especially from automobile exhaust
Examples of smog in a Sentence
the city's smog was once so bad that darkness often prevailed, even at noon
Recent Examples on the Web
But the most enlightening part of the book was its recounting of California’s uphill struggle to get the rest of America to care about smog.
—Shelby Grad, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2024
Aurangzeb said during a news conference, as a thick blanket of smog enveloped the city.
—Reuters, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024
Many in Los Angeles, including Ueberroth and the Games organizers, had worried the Olympics would be marred by the area’s usual summertime ailments: traffic, smog and heat.
—Les Carpenter, Washington Post, 21 July 2024
The smog Wednesday will result from the final remnants of a high-pressure system that has smothered California for the last week and will bring back the heat and form a low ceiling on the top of the atmosphere, forecasters said.
—Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 9 July 2024
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Word History
Etymology
smoke + fog
First Known Use
1880, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing smog
Dictionary Entries Near smog
Cite this Entry
“Smog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smog. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
smog
noun
ˈsmäg
also ˈsmȯg
: a thick haze caused by the action of sunlight on air polluted especially by smoke and automobile exhaust fumes
Etymology
from smoke and fog
Medical Definition
smog
nounˈsmäg also ˈsmȯg
: a fog made heavier and darker by smoke and chemical fumes
also
: a photochemical haze caused by the action of solar ultraviolet radiation on atmosphere polluted with hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen especially from automobile exhaust
More from Merriam-Webster on smog
Nglish: Translation of smog for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of smog for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about smog
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