canister
noun
can·is·ter
ˈka-nə-stər 
variants
or less commonly cannister
1
: an often cylindrical container for holding a usually specified object or substance
a film canister
2
: encased shot for close-range artillery fire
3
: a perforated metal box for gas masks with material to adsorb, filter, or detoxify airborne poisons and irritants
Examples of canister in a Sentence
she put the store-bought cookies in a fancy canister to make them look homemade
Recent Examples on the Web
Photos and videos from the scene show Chicago residents fleeing as agents fired tear gas canisters.
—
Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Taking a seat in a small room crammed full of film canisters, Butler took a moment to look at the script before him.
—Jay Glennie, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Bovino was accused of throwing at least one tear gas canister into a crowd of protesters the following day in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, per CNN, potentially violating a judge’s temporary restraining order banning the use of such tactics in the city.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Hold your canister or the opened up vacuum over the trash and tap out the contents.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canister
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Graham Hurley, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Taking a seat in a small room crammed full of film canisters, Butler took a moment to look at the script before him.
—Jay Glennie, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2025
Bovino was accused of throwing at least one tear gas canister into a crowd of protesters the following day in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, per CNN, potentially violating a judge’s temporary restraining order banning the use of such tactics in the city.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Hold your canister or the opened up vacuum over the trash and tap out the contents.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for canister
Cite this Entry
“Canister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/canister. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
canister
noun
can·is·ter
variants
also cannister
: a small box or can for holding a dry product (as coffee, flour, or sugar)
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