HAZMAT

American

[haz-mat] / ˈhæzˌmæt /

Or hazmat

noun

a material or substance that poses a danger to life, property, or the environment if improperly stored, shipped, or handled.

regulations for transporting radioactive materials and other HAZMAT.

hazmat British

/ ˈhæzˌmæt /

noun

1. substances that pose a danɡer to public health
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a hazmat suit

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of HAZMAT

An Americanism dating back to 1970–75; haz(ardous) + mat(erial)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

hazmat

Photos released by the coast guard showed rows of body bags being placed into a small ship alongside men in hazmat suits.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

The area was cordoned off and police forensic officers in hazmat suits, some carrying cameras, were seen at the property.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

A hazmat team is working with experts to find a way to depressurise the affected tank and limit exposure.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

The disks sit in a jumble of gleaming metal equipment; Ms. Fox, in a pale-blue hazmat suit and surgical mask, peers in at them through a window.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 25, 2026

His hazmat suit obscures a lot of his face.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023