plural lyses
ˈlī-ˌsēz 
1
: the gradual decline of a disease process (such as fever)
2
: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)
plural -lyses
1
: decomposition
electrolysis
2
: disintegration : breaking down
autolysis
Examples of lysis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Amy Raasch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Nearly all of the 110 groups were present throughout the study, a surprising result given the boom-and-bust dynamics frequently dictated by viral lysis events.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2015
Those four qualities are high temperature tolerance, the ability to invade a human host, lysis and absorption of human tissue and resistance to the human immune system.
—Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2023
In this variant, high densities of ahl generated haemolysin E – an anti-tumor toxin – and also stimluated a suicidal gene E that caused cell lysis.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2017
Biodegradable nanostructures with selective lysis of microbial membranes.
—Patrick Morgan, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2011
The resulting phages eventually burst out of the cell, destroying it, in an action called lysis.
—WIRED, 27 Sep. 2022
Tumor lysis syndrome can cause electrolyte abnormalities and damage to the kidneys.
—Jacqueline Howard and Carma Hassan, CNN, 2 Feb. 2022
There is no shortage of Roche’s lysis buffer solution as of today.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 27 Mar. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
And then there’s the fourth moment, which is what Jung called the lysis, where the energy of your life wants to go.
—Amy Raasch, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Nearly all of the 110 groups were present throughout the study, a surprising result given the boom-and-bust dynamics frequently dictated by viral lysis events.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 11 Dec. 2015
Those four qualities are high temperature tolerance, the ability to invade a human host, lysis and absorption of human tissue and resistance to the human immune system.
—Mac Stone, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2023
In this variant, high densities of ahl generated haemolysin E – an anti-tumor toxin – and also stimluated a suicidal gene E that caused cell lysis.
—Jeffrey Marlow, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2017
Biodegradable nanostructures with selective lysis of microbial membranes.
—Patrick Morgan, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2011
The resulting phages eventually burst out of the cell, destroying it, in an action called lysis.
—WIRED, 27 Sep. 2022
Tumor lysis syndrome can cause electrolyte abnormalities and damage to the kidneys.
—Jacqueline Howard and Carma Hassan, CNN, 2 Feb. 2022
There is no shortage of Roche’s lysis buffer solution as of today.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 27 Mar. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Lysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lysis. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
lysis
noun
ly·sis
ˈlī-səs
plural lyses
-ˌsēz
1
: the gradual decline of a disease process (as fever) compare crisis sense 1
2
: a process of disintegration or dissolution (as of cells)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share