acrylic

1 of 2

adjective

acryl·​ic ə-ˈkri-lik How to pronounce acrylic (audio)
1
: of or relating to acrylic acid or its derivatives
acrylic polymers
2
: made or consisting of an acrylic
an acrylic window

acrylic

2 of 2

noun

1
b
: a paint in which the vehicle is an acrylic resin
c
: a painting done in an acrylic resin
2

Examples of acrylic in a Sentence

Noun a painting done in acrylics
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Once dry, mix clear resin (Clear Cast Resin, $25, Michaels) in individual small cups with a few drops of acrylic paint in purple, gold, blue, and white, stirring for even color. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Dec. 2023 Paper plates served as palettes and each artist was given several dabs of acrylic paint. Lola Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2023 This craft advent calendar comes with 24 craft supplies, including acrylic pants, watercolors, modeling paste, paint brushes, and more to spark creative projects. Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 18 Nov. 2023 The suburban Maryland artist overlays scraps of torn paper into 3D vignettes, adding color with acrylic paint. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2023 They’re made of glass and are covered with acrylic silver jewels and gold beads. Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2023 This unique home accent piece is designed to look like a book while providing a clear acrylic space to display your favorite flowers. Margaret Drake, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023 The modern, acrylic menorah is offered in two colors and can even be used as decor beyond the holiday season. Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023 This Creativity for Kids kit includes four colors of acrylic paint, 10 river rocks, and stickers with metallic transfers to decorate your creations. Tanya Edwards, Parents, 4 Oct. 2023
Noun
Display fancy perfume bottles, acrylic makeup organizers, and beautiful jewelry boxes. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 The captivating sight of tables adorned with vibrant green and pink acrylic tiles. Kinsey Gidicl, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 The large scale canvas features a woman on an interior chaise lounge in repose and with glittering rhinestone accents that make the oil and acrylic pastiche glitter and glimmer. Amy Carleton, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024 As generative art, the platter and base are made of translucent acrylic, each fitted with LED lights that change colors independently, creating combinations of ‘colorscapes’. Julia Brenner, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Oil, acrylic medium and high density foam on linen over panel. Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2024 It’s made from thick, transparent acrylic that comes in various colors, eloquently displaying the beautiful flowers inside. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2024 Its shock-resistant acrylic glass is a throwback to earlier times, giving the watch a vintage vibe with a clear and warm view of the time. Matthew Catellier, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Oil, acrylic medium, aqua resin, epoxy resin, and sawdust on linen over panel. Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'acrylic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from French (acide) acrylique, partial translation (with addition of the suffix -ique -ic entry 1) of German Acrylsäure, with acryl- from Acrolein acrolein + -yl -yl

First Known Use

Adjective

1843, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1942, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of acrylic was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near acrylic

Cite this Entry

“Acrylic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acrylic. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

acrylic

noun
acryl·​ic
ə-ˈkril-ik
1
2
: a paint containing an acrylic resin

Medical Definition

acrylic

1 of 2 adjective
acryl·​ic ə-ˈkril-ik How to pronounce acrylic (audio)
: of or relating to acrylic acid or its derivatives
acrylic polymers

acrylic

2 of 2 noun

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