vapor

va·por | \ ˈvā-pər

Definition of vapor

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : diffused matter (such as smoke or fog) suspended floating in the air and impairing its transparency

2a : a substance in the gaseous state as distinguished from the liquid or solid state

b : a substance (such as gasoline, alcohol, mercury, or benzoin) vaporized for industrial, therapeutic, or military uses also : a mixture (such as the explosive mixture in an internal combustion engine) of such a vapor with air

3a : something unsubstantial or transitory : phantasm

b : a foolish or fanciful idea

4 vapors plural

a archaic : exhalations of bodily organs (such as the stomach) held to affect the physical or mental condition

b : a depressed or hysterical nervous condition

vapor

verb

vapored; vaporing\ ˈvā-p(ə-)riŋ

Definition of vapor (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to rise or pass off in vapor

b : to emit vapor

2 : to indulge in bragging, blustering, or idle talk

Other Words from vapor Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about vapor

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Did You Know?

Verb

Speakers of the English language, mindful of the lightness and unsubstantiality of floating air and gas, have put several airy words to good use over the years to describe the act of talking idly or boastfully. The earliest such word is blow (as in "he kept blowing about his new job"), which drifted into English sometime about 1400. Vapor wafted into the language in the 1620s, and a little over 200 years later windbags, later also known as gasbags, not only blew and vapored but also gassed about anything they could.

Examples of vapor in a Sentence

Verb a faded Southern belle tiresomely vaporing about all the handsome beaux she had in her long-ago youth

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Gore-Tex had pores small enough to block a water droplet but large enough for the water molecules in vapor to pass through. — Marc Bain, Quartzy, "The North Face’s new fabric is the latest attempt in an endless struggle to stay dry," 31 Oct. 2019 Nvidia officials said the titanium vapor chambers were selected mostly to reduce weight. — Gordon Mah Ung, PCWorld, "Asus and Nvidia's ProArt StudioBook One wields Quadro RTX 6000 graphics power," 4 Sep. 2019 Twenty-inch wheels in matte vapor or Brass Monkey finish can also be had on the Durango SRT. — Jeff Yip, Houston Chronicle, "Dodge plays to muscle car niche with power, technology," 16 Aug. 2019 The volatile elements that stayed in the vapor would be carried inward with the shrinking synestia to become part of Earth. — Simon J. Lock, Scientific American, "When Earth and the Moon Were One," 2 July 2019 Some people smelled it, other people just let the vapors hit their pores. — New York Times, "The Topanga Tea Ceremony," 6 Dec. 2019 Stencils can direct where the vapor settles on the fabric, allowing Andrew to design and build specific electrical components. — Wired, "A New Way to Make Comfy, Durable Smart Garments," 30 Nov. 2019 What the vapors delivered instead was a jolt of synthetic marijuana, and with it an intense high of hallucinations and even seizures. — BostonGlobe.com, "What the vapors delivered instead was a jolt of synthetic marijuana, and with it an intense high of hallucinations and even seizures.," 23 Oct. 2019 The design was also unique — the shape, the glowing light, the crackling sound, the thick vapor. — Julie Creswell, New York Times, "Juul Says Its Focus Was Smokers, but It Targeted Young Nonsmokers," 23 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb In the fourth, Evers used his veto in an attempt to ensure a tax on vaping products would apply to any device containing fluid and to vapor fluid sold separately. — Washington Post, "Conservative lawsuit challenges Wisconsin governor’s vetoes," 31 July 2019 In the fourth, Evers used his veto in an attempt to ensure a tax on vaping products would apply to any device containing fluid and to vapor fluid sold separately. — Washington Post, "Conservative lawsuit challenges Wisconsin governor’s vetoes," 31 July 2019 But whole body cryotherapy exposes the body for a couple of minutes to vapor that has been supercooled to somewhere between minus 200 and minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. — Aaron E. Carroll, New York Times, "Cold Therapy? Maybe Better Save Your Money," 2 Jan. 2017

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