methylene chloride

noun

: a toxic nonflammable liquid CH₂Cl₂ used especially as a solvent, paint remover, and aerosol propellant

Examples of methylene chloride in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company has past citations from the EPA for exposing staff to methylene chloride, a toxic chemical commonly used in paint thinner known to increase cancer risk. —Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026

In 2024, state investigators found that one popular brand of marijuana vapes sold in dispensaries was not only derived from hemp, but also contaminated with methylene chloride, a chemical often used to convert CBD from hemp into THC. —Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026

The lab also detected methylene chloride – a hazardous solvent banned in most uses by the EPA – in one pack of gummies. —Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026

The cautions say the products can expose people to lead salts, which can cause birth defects or reproductive harm, and methylene chloride (MC) and HC, both known to cause cancer. —Minneapolis Star Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for methylene chloride

• amiloride
• hexachloride
• hydrochloride
• oxychloride
• pentachloride
• tetrachloride
• bichloride
• dichloride
• perchloride
• trichloride
• boride
• dihydrochloride

Medical Definition

methylene chloride

noun

: a nonflammable liquid CH₂Cl₂ formerly used as an inhalation anesthetic but now used especially as a solvent, paint remover, and aerosol propellant

called also dichloromethane