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Synonyms

Styrofoam

American  
[stahy-ruh-fohm] / ˈstaɪ rəˌfoʊm /
Trademark.
  1. a brand of expanded plastic made from polystyrene.


Styrofoam British  
/ ˈstaɪrəˌfəʊm /

noun

  1. (sometimes not capital) a light, expanded polystyrene plastic

"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 Styrofoam

C20: from polystyrene + foam

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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:

A nearby store is smaller, with a single coffee pot and a tiny selection of branded items like Styrofoam coolers and tube socks.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 9, 2026

She then reached for a Styrofoam mannequin’s head that was on a shelf in the closet.

From Slate Nov. 15, 2025

He discovered the mystery blobs one day last month, initially thinking it looked like Styrofoam.

From BBC Oct. 12, 2024

These practices included recycling, reducing food waste, not using Styrofoam, etc.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 15, 2024

She had lost her job—a minimum-wage post packing Styrofoam cups into cartons—when she’d gone into the hospital to have the baby, and had no money for formula.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

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