asbestos
noun
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A grayish mineral that separates readily into long, flexible fibers, asbestos was used in the past to make brake linings, insulation, roofing shingles, floor and ceiling tiles, cement pipes, and other building materials. Asbestos fabrics were used for safety apparel and theater curtains. In the 1970s, it was found that prolonged inhalation of the tiny asbestos fibers can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and other serious lung diseases. In 1989, the US Government instituted a gradual ban on the manufacture, use, and export of most products made with asbestos.
Examples of asbestos in a Sentence
Lindy Segal, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2025
When that ash contains the noxious remains of lithium-ion packs that have caught fire, in addition to lead and asbestos from home fires, cleaning up can be challenging, requiring special disposal procedures.
—Benjamin Svetkey and Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025
Since then, countless attempts to patch the pipe and plug the leaks have failed, though repair crews have flooded the facility’s boiler room and uncovered asbestos piping beneath a storeroom in the process.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2025
Not to mention the toxic stew of asbestos, lead, lithium, and who knows what else that had burned and settled in the air and soil.
—Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for asbestos
Cite this Entry
“Asbestos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asbestos. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.
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asbestos
noun
Medical Definition
asbestos
noun
az-
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