ionization
noun
ion·i·za·tion
ˌī-ə-nə-ˈzā-shən 
plural ionizations
1
: the act or process of ionizing something : conversion of a substance into ions
Then other photons, collisions or an electric field cause ionization of the excited neutral species.—
G. Samuel Hurst and Vladilen S. Letokhov
G. Samuel Hurst and Vladilen S. Letokhov2
: the state of being ionized
While the light flashes themselves are not harmful, the tissue ionization caused by the intruding particle near the end of its track is indeed deadly to some affected cells.—James D. Burke
James D. BurkeExamples of ionization in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Breaking structural norms To make the measurement, the team used ISOLDE’s collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy (CRIS) apparatus, which is one of the few instruments in the world capable of resolving fine details in neutron-rich nuclei.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
This novel scenario, of flash ionization in the early Universe, may turn out to be, like most new theoretical ideas, a red herring that only takes us to a possible world that never was.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
In particular, the ionization of neon causes the release of infrared radiation at a very specific wavelength.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 29 July 2025
The findings, published in ACS Environmental Au, came during a month-long field campaign in Oklahoma by researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder, who used a high-resolution chemical ionization mass spectrometer designed to study how aerosol particles form in the atmosphere.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
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Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
This novel scenario, of flash ionization in the early Universe, may turn out to be, like most new theoretical ideas, a red herring that only takes us to a possible world that never was.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
In particular, the ionization of neon causes the release of infrared radiation at a very specific wavelength.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 29 July 2025
The findings, published in ACS Environmental Au, came during a month-long field campaign in Oklahoma by researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder, who used a high-resolution chemical ionization mass spectrometer designed to study how aerosol particles form in the atmosphere.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ionization
Cite this Entry
“Ionization.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ionization. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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