inactivate
verb
in·ac·ti·vate
(ˌ)i-ˈnak-tə-ˌvāt 
inactivated; inactivating; inactivates
: to make inactive
chemicals to inactivate viruses
Examples of inactivate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
However, even if milk from infected dairy cows makes it to the commercial milk supply, pasteurization is effective inactivating bacteria and viruses, including influenza, according to a March 29 joint news release from the CDC, USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.
—
Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Other genes that have been eliminated or inactivated mean that viruses that are natural to the pig will be unable to jump to the human.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
The gene that codes for fur pigment is on the X, and the orange and black patches on these cats reflect areas where one X chromosome was inactivated versus the other.
—Jonathan Wosen Reprints, STAT, 1 Feb. 2024
The treatment uses a newer, more precise form of Crispr called base editing to inactivate a gene in the liver called PCSK9.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 15 Nov. 2023
An additional 59 edits were made to some of the donor animals to inactivate endogenous retroviruses, which are found in pig DNA.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 11 Oct. 2023
Then the group identified just a portion of the gene that could be inactivated and still turn on fetal hemoglobin—a safer approach, since genes often have many functions.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2023
The excess ink that remains inactivated by the ultrasound will still remain fluid, Yao told STAT.
—Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 7 Dec. 2023
This causes micro-thermal injuries to the sweat glands that temporarily inactivates them.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 13 Nov. 2023
Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024
Other genes that have been eliminated or inactivated mean that viruses that are natural to the pig will be unable to jump to the human.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024
The gene that codes for fur pigment is on the X, and the orange and black patches on these cats reflect areas where one X chromosome was inactivated versus the other.
—Jonathan Wosen Reprints, STAT, 1 Feb. 2024
The treatment uses a newer, more precise form of Crispr called base editing to inactivate a gene in the liver called PCSK9.
—Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 15 Nov. 2023
An additional 59 edits were made to some of the donor animals to inactivate endogenous retroviruses, which are found in pig DNA.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 11 Oct. 2023
Then the group identified just a portion of the gene that could be inactivated and still turn on fetal hemoglobin—a safer approach, since genes often have many functions.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 19 Dec. 2023
The excess ink that remains inactivated by the ultrasound will still remain fluid, Yao told STAT.
—Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 7 Dec. 2023
This causes micro-thermal injuries to the sweat glands that temporarily inactivates them.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 13 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inactivate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Inactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inactivate. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
inactivate
transitive verb
in·ac·ti·vate
(ˈ)in-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt
inactivated; inactivating
: to make inactive: as
a
: to destroy certain biological activities of
inactivate the complement of normal serum by heat
b
: to cause (as an infectious agent) to lose disease-producing capacity
inactivate bacteria
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