vinyl chloride

noun

: a flammable gaseous carcinogenic compound C2H3Cl that is used especially to make vinyl resins

Examples of vinyl chloride in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web When a train derailed on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, containing the highly flammable and toxic chemical vinyl chloride, conspiracies took over social media about acid rain spreading to the East Coast. Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2023 The train, operated by Norfolk Southern, had been carrying chemicals and combustible materials, including the toxic, highly volatile gas vinyl chloride, which when burned can pose serious health risks. Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 22 Sep. 2023 There were extremely high levels of trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, vinyl chloride and benzene — colorless chemicals that can cause several diseases, including cardiac defects and some cancers, the ATSDR said. Anna Schecter, NBC News, 18 Sep. 2023 Certainly seems to have some symptoms that correspond to the recent train derailment and vinyl chloride spill, Dr. Jason Rodriguez wrote. Emily Baumgaertner Brian Kaiser, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2023 Several days after the crash, Norfolk Southern workers vented and burned five rail cars containing vinyl chloride — a dangerous chemical used to make plastic pipes — to prevent an explosion that could have dispersed the residue over an even greater radius. Glenn Thrush, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Mar. 2023 Schade said people who live near facilities involved in the production of vinyl chloride face those risks and more. Emily Le Coz, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2023 Oxy had more than 700,000 pounds of vinyl chloride on the train that derailed, the records show. Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2023 Typically, vinyl chloride is only found in large amounts in and around the factories that produce it. Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 21 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vinyl chloride.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vinyl chloride was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near vinyl chloride

Cite this Entry

“Vinyl chloride.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vinyl%20chloride. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Medical Definition

vinyl chloride

noun
: a flammable gaseous carcinogenic compound C2H3Cl that is used especially to make vinyl resins

More from Merriam-Webster on vinyl chloride

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