hydrochloric acid

noun

hy·​dro·​chlo·​ric acid ˌhī-drə-ˈklȯr-ik- 

: an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride HCl that is a strong corrosive irritating acid, is normally present in dilute form in gastric juice, and is widely used in industry and in the laboratory

Examples of hydrochloric acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Officers found the man inside the building that night with multiple bags of liquids, which investigators later learned were hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and butane. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026

Police responding to a trespassing call discovered the man inside the building Sunday night with multiple bags of liquids, which turned out to be hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and butane, the chief said. —ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026

Police say Tong allegedly had multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026

The news release identified the substances as sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and butane. —Janat Batra, NBC news, 30 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hydrochloric acid

• antacid
• placid

Kids Definition

hydrochloric acid

noun

hy·​dro·​chlo·​ric acid ˌhī-drə-ˌklōr-ik- 

-ˌklȯr-

: a strong acid formed by dissolving hydrogen chloride in water that is widely used in industry and in the laboratory

Medical Definition

hydrochloric acid

noun

hy·​dro·​chlo·​ric acid ˌhī-drə-ˌklōr-ik-, -ˌklȯr- 

: an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride HCl that is a strong corrosive irritating acid, is normally present in dilute form in gastric juice, and is widely used in industry and in the laboratory

called also muriatic acid