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inactivate
verb
in·ac·ti·vate
(ˌ)i-ˈnak-tə-ˌvāt
inactivated; inactivating; inactivates
: to make inactive
chemicals to inactivate viruses
Examples of inactivate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Those samples showed the virus had been inactivated by pasteurization, reducing the health threat to people.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2024
Testing has shown that pasteurization is effective in inactivating the bird flu virus.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 7 May 2024
Key Takeaways New data suggests compounds in certain teas may help inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19.
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 2 May 2024
In good news for milk drinkers, new FDA and academic studies showed that pasteurization does indeed inactivate the H5N1 bird flu virus, STAT’s Megan Molteni writes.
—Rachel Cohrs Zhang Reprints, STAT, 2 May 2024
Memorial Hermann voluntarily inactivates liver, kidney transplant programs While at the Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Bynon oversaw both the liver and kidney transplant programs, according to his bio.
—Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024
The pasteurization process inactivates viruses before the product can go to market.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024
Pigs carry retroviruses that may infect humans, and the company also inactivated the pathogens.
—Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2024
However, even if milk from infected dairy cows makes it to the commercial milk supply, pasteurization is effective inactivating bacteria and viruses, including influenza, according to a March 29 joint news release from the CDC, USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inactivate.' 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
1906, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near inactivate
Cite this Entry
“Inactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inactivate. Accessed 24 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
Medical Definition
inactivate
transitive verb
in·ac·ti·vate
(ˈ)in-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt
inactivated; inactivating
: to make inactive: as
a
: to destroy certain biological activities of
inactivate the complement of normal serum by heat
b
: to cause (as an infectious agent) to lose disease-producing capacity
inactivate bacteria
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