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
After that point, the carrier will be inactivated and its systems shut down, allowing the removal of all hazardous materials.
—
Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The records of voters who have moved are updated based on data from the postal service and DVS, while deceased voters are inactivated based on data from the health department, the Social Security Administration, and local obituaries, a spokesperson said.
—Jason Rantala, CBS News, 14 May 2026
The decision to inactivate the USS Boise is just the start of Phelan’s shakeup plans.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Regular honey is processed by filtration and heating, which removes or inactivates many of the beneficial compounds in honey, but clarifies it and prolongs its shelf life.
—Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inactivate
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Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
The records of voters who have moved are updated based on data from the postal service and DVS, while deceased voters are inactivated based on data from the health department, the Social Security Administration, and local obituaries, a spokesperson said.
—Jason Rantala, CBS News, 14 May 2026
The decision to inactivate the USS Boise is just the start of Phelan’s shakeup plans.
—Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Regular honey is processed by filtration and heating, which removes or inactivates many of the beneficial compounds in honey, but clarifies it and prolongs its shelf life.
—Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inactivate
Cite this Entry
“Inactivate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inactivate. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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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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