: a high explosive composed of various chemicals that make it moldable and plastic
Before it was detonated, I held a piece of C-4 plastic explosive about the size of a baseball. It felt slightly greasy and granular, but otherwise indistinguishable from my daughter's Play-Doh.Eric Schlosser

Examples of C-4 in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While on the way, Philippi allegedly ordered C-4 and other explosives from the undercover employees, then later purchased black powder to put into pipe bombs. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 4 Nov. 2024 The weaponry included 800 surface-to-air missiles, more than 20,000 AK-47s, and five tons of C-4 plastic explosives. Malcolm Beith, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2013 Investigators found four different types of guns, three hand grenades, one rocket launcher, and C-4 explosives at the scene. Gul Tuysuz, CNN, 2 Oct. 2023 The first eight Ohio-class submarines were built with their silos filled with Trident C-4 missiles; Trident C-4 weighed 73,000 pounds, could carry up to eight Mk-4 reentry vehicles, and had a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles. Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 1 May 2023 That team carried the 10-pound shell away, dug a hole, placed C-4 explosives and blew the artifact up, said Martz. Phil Gast, CNN, 9 Feb. 2023 Unable to approach the shooter, officers used a robot with an extending arm to guide a pound of C-4 explosive toward him. Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2022 Commercial Service District, and the C-4 Central Area Commercial Residential District. Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, ajc, 4 Oct. 2022 Right in downtown Hollywood, C-4 serves vegan breakfasts and lunches that include diner favorites that taste like traditional sausage, bacon, eggs, fish filets and pancakes. Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 4 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of C-4 was in 1964

Dictionary Entries Near C-4

Cite this Entry

“C-4.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/C-4. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!