decontaminate

verb

de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating; decontaminates

transitive verb

: to rid of contamination (such as radioactive material)
decontamination noun
decontaminator noun

Examples of decontaminate in a Sentence

Special workers were called in to decontaminate the area after the oil spill.
Recent Examples on the Web While NGOs such as the HALO Trust have worked to steadily decontaminate those territories, the research and development has been piecemeal and slow. Justin Ling, WIRED, 19 Feb. 2024 This includes distributing cholera prevention kits, decontaminating homes and communal latrines, and setting up hand disinfection stations. Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 Bedding and furniture need to be completely decontaminated, while medicines like permethrin are not the easiest to use. David Cox, WIRED, 17 Jan. 2024 The locks were decontaminated one hair at a time using tweezers and a light bleach concentration; they were then rinsed in water and put into a test tube. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2023 And somebody sent in a remark that this was precisely the dumbest way to decontaminate an ambulance. Dan Morse, Washington Post, 17 Dec. 2023 The sponges, if ever produced at an industrial scale, Wang says, could be used in wastewater treatment plants to filter microplastics out of the water or in food production facilities to decontaminate water. Chris Baraniuk, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Oct. 2023 Twelve employees also had to be decontaminated, authorities said. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023 The base was supposed to be closed, decontaminated and handed over to the city, but after 30 years, 90 percent of it is still in the Navy’s hands. Ralph Vartabedian, New York Times, 27 Sep. 2023

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

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decontaminate was in 1936

Dictionary Entries Near decontaminate

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

decontaminate

verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
: to rid of something (as radioactive material) that contaminates
decontamination noun

Medical Definition

decontaminate

transitive verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating
: to rid of contamination (as radioactive material)
decontamination noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decontaminate

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