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Definition of "acrylonitrile" [acrylonitrile]

  • A colorless, liquid organic compound, H2C:CHCN, used in the manufacture of acrylic rubber and fibers. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "acrylonitrile" in a sentence
  • "His report also rapped Ottawa for not doing enough to combat emissions of a noxious substance called acrylonitrile, which is produced when manufacturing synthetic rubber."
  • "So inventors cast around for something to do with propylene and discovered it can be turned into something called acrylonitrile, which can be made into those acrylic outdoor carpets."
  • "In addition to greenhouse gas reductions, the report looked at new regulations to reduce the release of toxic and carcinogenic emissions such as benzene, a chemical that is released from gas pumps and acrylonitrile, which is used to manufacture synthetic rubber."