pepper spray

American  

noun

• pepper sprays
  plural

1. an aerosol spray that temporarily irritates the eyes and mucous membranes, used to stun and incapacitate a person or animal.

   police use of pepper spray to control rioters.

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pepper spray British  

noun

1. a defence spray agent derived from hot cayenne peppers, which causes temporary blindness and breathing difficulty, sometimes used to control riots

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pepper sprays
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pepper spray

First recorded in 1985–90; the active ingredient is capsaicin, extracted from capsicum peppers

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pepper spray

Pretti’s last act had been to try to defend someone from pepper spray.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

The officers tried to calm the situation but then used pepper spray.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Whether the substance was tear gas — which, incidentally, is a powder, not a gas — or pepper spray is unclear.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

“Rather than move immediately to pepper spray, you can arrest the person.”

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2026

“A combination of pepper spray and tear gas,” Mr. Jacobs said.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro