vape

verb

ˈvāp 

vaped; vaping

transitive + intransitive

: to inhale vapor through the mouth from a usually battery-operated electronic device (such as an electronic cigarette) that heats up and vaporizes a liquid or solid

This electronic cigarette … contains a small reservoir of liquid nicotine solution that is vaporized to form an aerosol mist. The user "vapes," or puffs on the vapor, to get a hit of the addictive nicotine …

—John Tierney

When a person tokes, eats or vapes cannabis, a wave of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, washes into the brain.

—Laura Sanders

vaper noun

The problem is that little is known about the precise dangers of being in the same space as a vaper indulging their e-habit.

—Amber Dance

Examples of vape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples of errors included Gemini incorrectly saying the UK’s National Health Service did not recommend vaping as an aid to quit smoking and ChatGPT and Copilot both wrongly indicating that politicians Rishi Sunak and Nicola Sturgeon were still in office. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025

Parker said fights are what typically lead to suspensions, and discipline for other, less serious infractions, such as vaping in school, are less racially disproportionate. —Bob Skolnik, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025

But treating smoking and vaping the same way is contentious. —Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 3 Dec. 2024

Scientists say this may mean that vaping regularly could lead to low oxygen levels and vascular disease. 2️⃣ Sliding sales: Lunchables used to be a smashing success, but the plan to get on school lunch menus backfired and led to a firestorm of criticism from child-nutrition advocates. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

short for vapor entry 1, in reference to the aerosol produced by the cigarette, by analogy with smoke entry 2

First Known Use

1999, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

vape

verb

ˈvāp 

: to inhale vapor through the mouth from a usually battery-operated electronic device that heats up and vaporizes a liquid or solid

Medical Definition

vape

verb

ˈvāp 

vaped; vaping

intransitive verb

: to inhale and exhale vapor from an electronic cigarette or similar device like someone smoking a conventional cigarette

transitive verb

: to inhale or exhale the vapor of

vaper noun

Vapers can inhale huge numbers of very small aerosol particles into the lung's tiniest airways.

—Janet Raloff, Science News