How to Use terephthalate in a Sentence

terephthalate

noun
  • An alarming new study finds that infant feces contain 10 times more polyethylene terephthalate (aka polyester) than an adult’s.
    — Matt Simon, Wired, 22 Sep. 2021
  • The most common was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used to make soft drink bottles and clothes.
    — Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2022
  • Polyethylene terephthalate is a strong but lightweight plastic.
    — Julissa Treviño, Smithsonian, 26 Apr. 2018
  • Nomen wines are sold in bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate, better known by the acronym PET.
    — Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 15 Dec. 2020
  • For him, distinguishing between polyvinyl chloride and polyethylene terephthalate is child’s play.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
  • The keycaps—made from polybutylene terephthalate (PBT)—are solid black with shine-through letters.
    — Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Single-use plastic bottles are made of a thin plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate, or PET.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2025
  • These are made with a plastic called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, which consists of a bunch of very small fibers woven together.
    — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, 1 Aug. 2018
  • Polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET, is also used to make plastic bottles.
    — Harris Quinn, Wired, 28 Dec. 2021
  • Many single-use plastic water bottles are made from a type of plastic called polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
    — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • The rug is made of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic.
    — Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2023
  • The new prototype is made using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycled from bottles that have been thrown away.
    — Sophie Lewis, CBS News, 24 June 2021
  • Origin’s caps are made of PET, polyethylene terephthalate, the same material used to make soda bottles.
    — Sacbee.com, 13 Feb. 2026
  • What’s more, the jerseys will be made of Alpha Yarns, which partially comprised of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (think plastic) bottles.
    — David Whitley, OrlandoSentinel.com, 16 Oct. 2017
  • The most common type was polypropylene, the plastic found in bottle caps, followed by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the plastic found in the bottles themselves.
    — Cathleen O'Grady, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2018
  • Outdoor rugs are typically made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, or polypropylene.
    — Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2023
  • There are also some comforters filled with recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is a durable and lightweight recyclable plastic.
    — Rachel Simon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Most prominent was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common type of plastic used in making drink bottles, food packaging and fabrics, and even lip gloss.
    — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2022
  • Of the 13 types of plastics, the most common was polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used to manufacture clothes and soda bottles.
    — Ellen Francis, Anchorage Daily News, 9 June 2022
  • The first type, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is frequently found in products like plastic water bottles.
    — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 31 Mar. 2022
  • The same was seen with Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, another common source of plastic, which recent research suggests may be harmful.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 22 May 2024
  • Most of the microplastics found in the new study were made of plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), commonly used to make disposable plastic packaging.
    — National Geographic, 6 June 2019
  • In April, researchers from the University of Texas found an enzyme which could digest polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic resin found in clothes, liquid and food containers.
    — Pranshu Verma, Washington Post, 17 June 2022
  • The keycaps are made from polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and are slightly textured, like on the Light Mount; each keystroke feels smooth enough, but your fingers won't slide off the keytops.
    — Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
  • That is, in part, because recycling polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the polymer used to make such bottles, back into material robust enough to hold, say, a fizzy drink, is hard.
    — The Economist, 16 Apr. 2018
  • The polyethylene terephthalate, (PET, a form of polyester) bottle used for water and other drinks, is light, cheap, and unbreakable compared to traditional glass bottles.
    — Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 10 Aug. 2022
  • There is big demand for recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) content in new clamshells, particularly those used in the food industry.
    — Stephen Leahy, National Geographic, 26 July 2019
  • The company specializes in making bottle capital from polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 2 May 2026
  • Follow the same instructions for fleece, which is designed to take on similar characteristics to wool, but it's actually made from poly-ethylene terephthalate (PET plastic).
    — Allyssia Alleyne, CNN, 25 Oct. 2022
  • Almost all the plastic was one type — polyethylene — with a notable absence of other common forms, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which makes up plastic water and soda bottles.
    — F.d. Flam, Twin Cities, 25 Dec. 2025

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

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