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Definition of detoxify
detoxified
;detoxifying
transitive verb
1a : to remove a harmful substance (such as a poison or toxin) or the effect of such fromb : 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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detoxify was our Word of the Day on 04/15/2008. Hear the podcast!
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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
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And one 2014 report from George Washington University suspects that activated charcoal may have caused colitis (inflammation in the colon) in one patient who repeatedly used it to detoxify his body on his own.
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The Brighton Recovery Center for Women is voluntary, and, to be eligible, the clients must first have detoxified elsewhere.
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For most people, sweating a lot does not detoxify them at all.
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The organs responsible for detoxifying our system are the kidneys and the liver.
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In addition, forearm stand also increases the blood flow to your head and detoxifies the adrenals, which is also said to aid in decreasing anxiety.
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And fasting may suppress some of our natural ability to detoxify our bodies.
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What’s a detoxifying substance doing in a hard cider?
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The former seeks to detoxify by drawing out impurities and injecting super nutrients into the skin, while the latter hydrates and brightens with a slew of moisturizing and soothing ingredients.
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
DETOXIFY Defined for English Language Learners
detoxify
playDefinition of detoxify for English Language Learners
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: to remove a poisonous or harmful substance from (something)
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: to cause (someone) to stop using drugs or alcohol by providing special help and treatment
Medical Dictionary
detoxify
playMedical Definition of detoxify
detoxified
;detoxifying
1
transitive verb
a: to remove a poison or toxin or the effect of such fromb: to render (a harmful substance) harmless2: 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 the clinic started detoxifying him by gradually lowering his dosage—J. M. Markham
intransitive verb
: to become free of addiction to a drug or alcohol
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