vaporous

adjective

va·​por·​ous ˈvā-p(ə-)rəs How to pronounce vaporous (audio)
1
: consisting or characteristic of vapor
2
: producing vapors : volatile
3
: containing or obscured by vapors : misty
4
b
: consisting of or indulging in vaporings
vaporously adverb
vaporousness noun

Examples of vaporous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Sculptural yet vaporous lightweight dresses were among the highlights. Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2025 But the film plays so coy with its backstory, offering it in dribs and drabs, that its initial emotional tension soon turns vaporous and phony. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025 This fluttering, vaporous, slightly mysterious pas de deux was created, in 1980, for the ballerina Merrill Ashley, a technical powerhouse with a hidden lyrical side. Jillian Steinhauer, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025 On the eyes, shadows come in shades of caramel, bronze, and smoky brown, applied in a halo across the lid to create a vaporous color. Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vaporous

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin vaporōsus "full of steam," from vapor "steam, vapor entry 1" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

1527, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaporous was in 1527

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vaporous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaporous. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

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