asbestos
noun
as·bes·tos
| \ as-ˈbes-təs
, az-\
, az-\
Definition of asbestos
: any of several minerals (such as chrysotile) that readily separate into long flexible fibers, that cause asbestosis and have been implicated as causes of certain cancers, and that have been used especially formerly as fireproof insulating materials
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Examples of asbestos in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lead paint peels from walls marked with warnings of asbestos. — Author: Richard Read, Anchorage Daily News, "Meet the icebreaker Polar Star, the neglected stepchild of the U.S. military industrial complex," 17 Aug. 2019 The inspectors found asbestos in ripped plastic trash bags on site. — Rachel Weiner, Washington Post, "Contractor who mishandled asbestos in Alexandria project fined $15,000," 10 Aug. 2019 That sample was well below Occupational Health and Safety Administration guidelines for acceptable asbestos exposure. — Anna Beahm | [email protected], al.com, "Asbestos tiles, tape to be replaced at Fire Station 27; tests found ‘no significant’ air pollutants," 19 July 2019 Last month, a California jury ordered J&J and Colgate-Palmolive Co. to pay about $10 million to a dying woman who said asbestos in their talc products caused her cancer. — latimes.com, "J&J gets a new trial after jury awards $417 million in talc case," 10 July 2019 The complaints over the alleged asbestos exposure date back to 2017, after renovations began at the downtown high rise known across City Hall as the Executive Complex. — Jeff Mcdonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, "San Diego city officials accused of exposing hundreds of employees to asbestos," 24 June 2019 Most asbestos exposure occurs when people inhale its tiny fibers or dust particles, according to the American Cancer Society. — Christina Oehler, Health.com, "JoJo Siwa’s Makeup Line Tested Positive for Asbestos—Here’s Why That’s so Dangerous," 10 June 2019 In March, the FDA announced that three products from Claire's and one from Justice were found to contain asbestos. — Sonja Haller, USA TODAY, "JoJo Siwa breaks her silence on recall of Claire's makeup over asbestos concerns," 17 June 2019 Since taking ownership in October 2018, the City has worked on asbestos abatement and remediation. — Jennifer Bolton, Houston Chronicle, "Pasadena skyscraper headed for demolition," 17 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'asbestos.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for asbestos
asbestos
noun
English Language Learners Definition of asbestos
: a soft gray mineral that does not burn, that was used especially as a building material in the past, and that can cause serious diseases of the lungs when people breathe its dust
See the full definition for asbestos in the English Language Learners Dictionary
asbestos
noun
as·bes·tos
| \ as-ˈbes-təs
, az-\
, az-\
Kids Definition of asbestos
: a grayish mineral that separates easily into long flexible fibers and has been used especially in the past in making fireproof materials
asbestos
noun
as·bes·tos
| \ as-ˈbes-təs
, az-
\
, az-
\
Medical Definition of asbestos
: any of several minerals that readily separate into long flexible fibers, that cause asbestosis and have been implicated as causes of certain cancers, and that have been used especially formerly as fireproof insulating materials
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