disinfect

verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-in-ˈfekt 

disinfected; disinfecting; disinfects

transitive verb

1

: to cleanse (a surface, a device, a supply of water, etc.) by destroying, inactivating, or significantly reducing the concentration of pathogenic agents (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) : to treat (something) with a disinfectant (such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hypochlorite)

… medical experts say some scopes can be difficult to disinfect through conventional cleaning because of their design, so bacteria are transmitted from patient to patient.

—Chad Terhune

Trihalomethanes are chemicals formed when chlorine used to disinfect water reacts with organic matter, such as animal waste, treated sewage, leaves, or soil.

—Emily Main

Clean your humidifier often. Although some parts may be washable in the dishwasher, they still need to be descaled with vinegar and disinfected with bleach.

—Consumer Reports

2

: to relieve (something) of some undesirable quality likened to a disease or infection

But the big question is this: If the bill becomes law, will it truly disinfect our politics?

—Nancy Gibbs and Karen Tumulty

3

: to remove a software virus (see virus sense 3) from (a computer or device) often by means of a special program

The earliest viruses were relatively simple routines, and virus detectors could easily disinfect computers.

—Philips Chien

Examples of disinfect in a Sentence

Chemicals were added to disinfect the water.

The wound needs to be disinfected.

Recent Examples on the Web

The United States does regulate aircraft drinking water through the EPA’s Aircraft Drinking Water Rule, which requires airlines to disinfect, flush, and routinely test onboard water systems and report those results. —Outside, 18 Jan. 2026

Chemicals commonly used to disinfect water, including chlorine and chloramine, react with organic matter naturally found in water to create harmful byproducts, which have been linked to cancer and fetal development issues. —Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 16 Jan. 2026

This method can help remove stains and also disinfect greasy plastic containers. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026

Before disinfecting hard surfaces, remove any visible or loose dirt. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French desinfecter, from des- dis- + infecter to infect

First Known Use

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for disinfect

• architect
• circumspect
• deselect
• dialect
• disconnect
• disrespect
• incorrect
• indirect
• intellect
• interject
• intersect
• pluperfect

Kids Definition

disinfect

verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈfekt 

: to cleanse of germs that might cause disease

disinfection

-ˈfek-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

disinfect

transitive verb

dis·​in·​fect ˌdis-ᵊn-ˈfekt 

: to destroy, inactivate, or significantly reduce the concentration of pathogenic agents (as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) especially on hard surfaces and in water : to treat (something) with a disinfectant (as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or sodium hypochlorite)

disinfection

-ˈfek-shən 

noun