chemical warfare

[ kem-i-kuhl wawr-fair ]

/ ˈkɛm ɪ kəl ˈwɔrˌfɛər /

Save This Word!

noun

warfare with poisonous, asphyxiating, or corrosive gases, oil flames, etc. Abbreviation: CW

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of chemical warfare

First recorded in 1915–20

Words nearby chemical warfare

chemical property, chemical pulp, chemical reaction, chemical sensitivity, chemical toilet, chemical warfare, chemical weapon, chemical weathering, chemico-, chemigraphy, chemiluminescence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use chemical warfare in a sentence

Instead, they “use chemical warfare to stop from being eaten,” said Tina Wismer, senior director of the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center.
Cicadas, plants and too much sun: How to keep your pet safe from summer hazards|Angela Haupt|June 3, 2021|Washington Post
There was Carol White, a ho-hum homemaker who finds herself besieged by multiple chemical sensitivity in Safe.
Julianne Moore Is Oscar Gold in ‘Still Alice’|Marlow Stern|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The priority that the regime places on cyber warfare is made clear by its recruiting.
Inside the ‘Surprisingly Great’ North Korean Hacker Hotel|Michael Daly|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Methane is a familiar chemical, whether you know it by that name or not.
Methane on Mars: Life or Just Gas?|Matthew R. Francis|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

However, their presence shows that Mars could have a more complex and evolving chemical story.
Methane on Mars: Life or Just Gas?|Matthew R. Francis|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lakes on Titan are full of methane, and the chemical is a major component of the giant planets Jupiter, Neptune, and so forth.
Methane on Mars: Life or Just Gas?|Matthew R. Francis|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I never had to fight again except as an unwilling participant in our foreign warfare.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
It is true that they wanted the picturesque splendour of ancient warfare.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
One of the latest uses to which asbestos has been proposed to be applied in connection with warfare is as a coating for ironclads.
Asbestos|Robert H. Jones
Its chemical composition is unknown, but it is nitrogenous, and is believed to be produced by the decomposition of gluten.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson
It has been obtained for chemical examination, principally from peas and beans, and from the almond and oats.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson

British Dictionary definitions for chemical warfare

chemical warfare

noun

warfare in which chemicals other than explosives are used as weapons, esp warfare using asphyxiating or nerve gases, poisons, defoliants, etc

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

Cultural definitions for chemical warfare

chemical warfare

The use of chemical agents as a weapon of war or terror. From the mustard gas used in World War I to the highly lethal neurotoxin Sarin that is potentially available for use today, chemicals are considered a weapon of mass destruction, and their use is condemned by most civilized nations.