retardant

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountablechemistry

   A substance that slows down a process, especially the spread of fire.

   Grammar: Uncountable for the material: spray with retardant; countable for types: several retardants.

   Patterns

   • a retardant for something
   • spray with retardant

   Planes dropped red retardant on the forest fire.

   The foam contains a retardant that makes it harder to burn.

   Different retardants are used for wood and for fabric.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Slowing down or resisting a process, especially burning.

   Grammar: Usually appears in compounds: flame-retardant fabric.

   Patterns

   • retardant material

   The curtains are made of a retardant fabric.

   Builders chose a retardant coating for the beams.

   Retardant clothing is required for factory workers.

Word forms

Common combinations

flame retardant

The sofa is covered in flame retardant fabric.

fire retardant

Firefighters used a fire retardant from the air.

chemical retardant

A chemical retardant protects the wiring.

apply retardant

Workers applied retardant to the roof beams.

retardant spray

The retardant spray dried in a few hours.

Synonyms and how they differ

fire-resistant

Fire-resistant describes a material that does not easily burn, while a retardant is a substance added to slow burning.

fireproof

Fireproof claims no burning at all, whereas retardant only slows the process.

inhibitor

Inhibitor is a broader chemical term for something that slows any reaction, not just fire.

Opposites

Word family

retard verb

to slow down progress (the noun use for a person is offensive)

retardation noun

the slowing of a process

flame-retardant adjective

made to slow burning

Commonly confused: retardant or retardent?

Practice

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