detoxify

play

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

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

detoxify was our Word of the Day on 04/15/2008. Hear the podcast!

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

Glutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in human cells that neutralizes free radicals, boosts the immune system and detoxifies the body.

— aneri pattani, New York Times, "A New Skin Lightening Procedure Is Short on Evidence," 28 Aug. 2017
When your poop is light, the liver isn't producing enough bile, which means your body is not detoxifying well.

— tehrene firman, Redbook, "12 Things Your Poop Says About Your Health," 15 Aug. 2017
Some amino acids from these proteins are changed by gut bacteria into potentially toxic compounds that are then absorbed into the bloodstream and either directly excreted or detoxified by the liver before being excreted.

— adrian tordiffe, Smithsonian, "Why Cheetahs Hate Captivity," 24 July 2017
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.

— Health.com, "Will Activated Charcoal Actually Detox My Body?," 23 June 2017
The Brighton Recovery Center for Women is voluntary, and, to be eligible, the clients must first have detoxified elsewhere.

— steve pendery, Cincinnati.com, "Column: Fact vs. fiction on Brighton Recovery expansion," 5 June 2017
For most people, sweating a lot does not detoxify them at all.

— kelly conaboy, The Atlantic, "Infrared Saunas Will Not 'Detoxify' You," 1 June 2017
The organs responsible for detoxifying our system are the kidneys and the liver.

— kelly conaboy, The Atlantic, "Infrared Saunas Will Not 'Detoxify' You," 1 June 2017
Whether Hannity’s hint of contrition is enough to detoxify his show remains to be seen.

— tina nguyen, The Hive, "Sean Hannity Goes on Vacation as Advertisers Flee," 26 May 2017

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

play

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

play

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