irradiate

verb

ir·ra·di·ate | \ i-ˈrā-dē-ˌāt

irradiated; irradiating

Definition of irradiate

transitive verb

1a : to cast rays of light upon : illuminate

b : to enlighten intellectually or spiritually

c : to affect or treat by radiant energy (such as heat) specifically : to treat by irradiation

2 : to emit like rays of light : radiate irradiating strength and comfort

intransitive verb

archaic : to emit rays : shine

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Examples of irradiate in a Sentence

The food was irradiated to kill any germs. the light from a galaxy of flashing signs irradiates the heart and soul of Las Vegas

Recent Examples on the Web

Plutonium rich in the isotope Pu-239, called weapons-grade plutonium, poses the fewest technical challenges and can be extracted from nuclear fuel that is only irradiated in a reactor for a short time. — Umair Irfan, Vox, "Uranium enrichment will be a key point in talks with North Korea. Here’s what it is.," 11 June 2018 When a man hiding in a fridge is swept by this overpressure wave, he’ll certainly be battered to death inside a tumbling, irradiated oven. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Hollywood Has No Idea How Nukes Work," 2 Apr. 2018 Traditional therapy irradiates tumors with X-ray waves, which are beams of photons, and all tissue along the beams’ paths get a similar dose of radiation. — Bonnie Berkowitz, Washington Post, "How proton therapy attacks cancer," 5 Mar. 2018 Like potatoes, conventional ginger is irradiated and chemically treated to stop it from sprouting at the supermarket. — Sharon Tregaskis, Good Housekeeping, "The Easiest Way To Grow Spicy Ginger In Your Own House," 24 Oct. 2017 Traditional therapy irradiates tumors with X-ray waves, and all tissue along the beams' path gets a similar dose of radiation. — Bonnie Berkowitz, chicagotribune.com, "Hospitals use protons to fight cancer," 14 Mar. 2018 And these flashes irradiate particular dancers: a harshness in the lucid Michael Novak; a roiling distress in Heather McGinley; a soft explosiveness in Alex Clayton, who joined the troupe last year and is already a standout. — Brian Seibert, New York Times, "Review: Paul Taylor Classics Outshine New Dances (His and Others’)," 11 Mar. 2018 The beam enters the patient in pulses, irradiating the tumor layer-by-layer, much like a 3-D printer operates. — Bonnie Berkowitz, Washington Post, "How proton therapy attacks cancer," 5 Mar. 2018 By irradiating these synthetic wires, too small to see, the team achieved immense temperatures and highly efficient nuclear fusion. — Jay Bennett, Popular Mechanics, "Small-Scale Nuclear Fusion Experiment Produces Record Efficiencies," 16 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'irradiate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.