detoxify

verb de·tox·i·fy \ (ˌ)dē-ˈtäk-sə-ˌfī \

|Updated on: 25 May 2018

Examples: detoxify in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of detoxify

detoxified; detoxifying

transitive verb

1 a : to remove a harmful substance (such as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such from

b : to render (a harmful substance) harmless

2 : to free (someone, such as a drug user or an alcoholic) from an intoxicating or an addictive substance in the body or from dependence on or addiction to such a substance

3 : neutralize 2

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detoxification

play \(ˌ)dē-ˌtäk-sə-fə-ˈkā-shən\ noun

See detoxify defined for English-language learners

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Examples of detoxify in a Sentence

a special tea that is supposed to detoxify the body
a drug addict who is being detoxified

Recent Examples of detoxify from the Web

The menu of services can include a range of treatments, all promising to purify and detoxify.

— audrey cleo yap, Glamour, "At the Korean Spa, $40 Gets Me a Body Scrub and Self-Acceptance," 21 May 2018
This set comes with a detoxifying bath soak made with pink Himalayan and dead sea salts, rose petals, eucalyptus and lavender essential oils, plus an herbal black tea, an all-natural soy candle and a lavender body and room spray.

— NBC News, "10 last-minute Mother's Day gift ideas," 8 May 2018
Scented with citrus oils and Tunisian neroli, the detoxifying volcanic ash paste is a small price to pay for a trip to the Mediterranean coastline.

— zoe ruffner, Vogue, "These New Body Scrubs Will Transform Your Skin in 5 Minutes or Less," 17 Apr. 2018
Think of it like a detoxifying car wash for your skin.

— macaela mackenzie, Allure, "E.L.F. Is Launching Four New Sheet Masks, and We Want Them All," 11 Apr. 2018
Keep your skin’s microbiome in balance with the anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, antiseptic, and detoxifying essential oils tea tree, pine, balsam fir, and silver fir.

— allison young, Good Housekeeping, "6 Ways You Can Use Essential Oils To Treat And Prevent Acne Naturally," 8 Nov. 2017
ZaSpa even improves on the classic spa sauna experience with new infrared saunas that help to detoxify, heal, revive and stimulate.

— anna caplan, star-telegram, "Give mom a taste of indulgence at these Texas spas | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 8 May 2018
In this recipe, the matcha boosts circulation, tocos delivers high levels of vitamins D and E, chlorella detoxifies the skin, and manuka honey works as a soothing, antibacterial exfoliator.

— mia adorante christiansen, Bon Appetit, "5 Ways to Get Your Skin as Psyched About Spring as You Are," 3 May 2018
Plenty of people claim that hot yoga is detoxifying.

— amy marturana, SELF, "Why Do People Even Like Hot Yoga?," 17 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'detoxify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

These days, detoxify can mean to free (someone) from a substance addiction (and yes, it's the source of detox, a more recent word that also refers to getting drugs or alcohol out of a person's system). Originally, however, detoxification was something done to things rather than to people. In its earliest uses - from about 1905 - detoxify referred to the removal of poison, or of poisonous or damaging properties, from a harmful substance, or to the removal of poisonous or toxic substances from something contaminated (such as the bloodstream).The specific application to removing poison from an addict is relatively new, dating to the mid-20th century. Today, detoxify is also often used generally in reference to counteracting the activity or effect of anything harmful (such as propaganda).

First Known Use of detoxify

circa 1905

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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DETOXIFY Defined for English Language Learners

detoxify

verb

Definition of detoxify for English Language Learners

: to remove a poisonous or harmful substance from (something)
: to cause (someone) to stop using drugs or alcohol by providing special help and treatment

Medical Dictionary

detoxify

verb de·tox·i·fy \ (ˈ)dē-ˈtäk-sə-ˌfī \

medical Definition of detoxify

detoxified; detoxifying

transitive verb

1 a : to remove a poison or toxin or the effect of such from

b : to render (a harmful substance) harmless

2 : to free (as a drug user or an alcoholic) from an intoxicating or an addictive substance in the body or from dependence on or addiction to such a substance