✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

polystyrene

noun

poly·​sty·​rene ˌpä-lē-ˈstī-ˌrēn How to pronounce polystyrene (audio)
: a polymer of styrene
especially : a rigid transparent thermoplastic that has good physical and electrical insulating properties and is used especially in molded products, foams, and sheet materials

Examples of polystyrene in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Officials are also investigating whether flammable materials, including polystyrene boards blocking several apartment windows, contributed to the disaster. Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 1 Dec. 2025 It’s made from high-density polystyrene, a waterproof and weather-resistant material that’s built to last through intense UV rays, rain, and snow. Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 1 Dec. 2025 The eight buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex in the suburb of Tai Po had all been clad in bamboo scaffolding draped with nylon netting for renovations, with windows covered by polystyrene panels. CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025 The program, called Snow Secure, involves placing polystyrene panels over large snow piles in the summer. Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 28 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for polystyrene

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polystyrene was in 1927

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polystyrene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polystyrene. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

polystyrene

noun
poly·​sty·​rene ˌpäl-i-ˈstī(ə)r-ˌēn How to pronounce polystyrene (audio)
: a stiff transparent plastic used chiefly in molded products, foams, and sheet materials

Medical Definition

polystyrene

noun
poly·​sty·​rene ˌpäl-i-ˈstī(ə)r-ˌēn How to pronounce polystyrene (audio)
: a polymer of styrene
especially : a rigid transparent thermoplastic that has good physical and electrical insulating properties and is used especially in molded products, foams, and sheet materials

More from Merriam-Webster on polystyrene

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!