vapor

noun

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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Synonyms for vapor

Synonyms: Verb

blow, boast, brag, bull [slang], crow, gasconade, swagger, vaunt

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

Vaping works by heating liquid and turning it into vapor to be inhaled. — Matt Richtel, New York Times, "Vaping Bad: Were 2 Wisconsin Brothers the Walter Whites of THC Oils?," 15 Sep. 2019 Further Reading Sun-like star hosts Kepler’s first confirmed habitable zone planet Subsequent observations have revealed that this world is very likely entirely covered in water and may have a water-vapor atmosphere. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "NASA is about to turn off the Kepler spacecraft, and it will drift away," 30 Oct. 2018 Many contrails last just a few minutes before the frozen water turns back into vapor and the plumes dissipate. — NBC News, "Do airplane contrails add to climate change? Yes, and the problem is about to get worse.," 28 July 2019 Machine replays of vapor behaviors show exposure varies over a wide range for any given product. — Risa Robinson, CNN, "The way you vape could make it even more dangerous," 16 Sep. 2019 Machine replays of vapor behaviors show exposure varies over a wide range for any given product. — Risa Robinson, The Conversation, "How a person vapes, not just what a person vapes, could also play a big role in vaping harm," 13 Sep. 2019 An oil vapor cloud was emitted Thursday from the Marathon Refinery in Detroit. — Ann Zaniewski, Detroit Free Press, "Officials: Marathon refinery leak poses no public danger," 12 Sep. 2019 Finding water vapor is great, but what is so special about K2-18 b is that our models suggest parts of its atmosphere have sufficient temperature and pressure for that vapor to form droplets of liquid water. — Lee Billings, Scientific American, "Astronomers Find Water on an Exoplanet Twice the Size of Earth," 11 Sep. 2019 Michelle Francl, a chemistry professor at Bryn Mawr College, explained to The Washington Post that vitamin E acetate, when heated to high temperatures, becomes a vapor. — Fox News, "Vitamin E acetate in marijuana vaping devices possibly linked to deadly lung illnesses, officials say," 7 Sep. 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.