pepper spray

American  

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of pepper spray

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

Example Sentences

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

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

Border Patrol’s Use of Force policy permits officers to deploy “less-lethal devices,” including pepper spray, for crowd control when protesters act violently or aggressively in ways that suggest they could physically injure officers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2026

A third agent, trying to be helpful, gropes for pepper spray on his tactical vest.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026

Willis has called for an investigation into actions taken by ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and impact munitions.

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

Or perhaps it was the pepper spray at Greyhound—he had surely inhaled enough of the gas to cause some internal reaction.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers