fu·mi·gate
ˈfyü-mə-ˌgāt 
fumigated; fumigating
: to apply smoke, vapor, or gas to especially for the purpose of disinfecting or of destroying pests
fu·mi·ga·tor
ˈfyüməˌgātə(r)
-ātə-
plural -s
: one that fumigates: such as
a
: a device or apparatus that generates a gas or vapor for use as a fumigant
b
: fumigant
c(1)
(2)
: one who kills insect pests on trees or shrubs by treatment with poisonous gas
(3)
: one who cleans and moth-proofs rugs and upholstered furniture and fumigates them by placing them in an airtight chamber with disks impregnated with hydrocyanic acid
Examples of fumigate in a Sentence
Verb
All the hospital rooms had to be fumigated.
We had to fumigate our apartment to get rid of the ants.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 May 2026
The actress referenced the parent series’ Season 1 episode ‘Malcolm Babysits’, in which their house is fumigated and the family is forced to live in a tent outside.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Later, grandmother and granddaughter drive down a road of African palm trees, passing a lorry load of immigrants, monotonous electricity grid lines crossing the sky and workers fumigating trees, Villalobos accumulating details of a harsh contemporary world.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
In the latter province, officials were planning to start fumigating this week, a delay criticized by Granma readers.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fumigate
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Verb
The chefs worked together for several hours, first to sterilize the onggi over heated charcoal topped with a small amount of honey, which fumigate and purify the vessels.
—Andrea Strong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 May 2026
The actress referenced the parent series’ Season 1 episode ‘Malcolm Babysits’, in which their house is fumigated and the family is forced to live in a tent outside.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Later, grandmother and granddaughter drive down a road of African palm trees, passing a lorry load of immigrants, monotonous electricity grid lines crossing the sky and workers fumigating trees, Villalobos accumulating details of a harsh contemporary world.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
In the latter province, officials were planning to start fumigating this week, a delay criticized by Granma readers.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fumigate
Cite this Entry
“Fumigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fumigate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fumigate
verb
fu·mi·gate
ˈfyü-mə-ˌgāt
fumigated; fumigating
: to apply smoke, vapor, or gas to especially for the purpose of disinfecting or of destroying pests
Medical Definition
fumigate
transitive verb
fu·mi·gate
ˈfyü-mə-ˌgāt
fumigated; fumigating
: to apply smoke, vapor, or gas to especially for the purpose of disinfecting or of destroying pests
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