sanitizer

noun

san·​i·​tiz·​er ˈsa-nə-ˌtī-zər 

plural sanitizers

: a substance or product that is used to reduce or eliminate pathogenic agents (such as bacteria) on surfaces

Sales of alcohol-based hand sanitizers were up nearly 17% as of the first week of September compared to the same period last year …

—Laura Landro

"Carvacrol could potentially be used as a food sanitizer … particularly in conjunction with other antimicrobials," says Kelly Bright, associate research scientist in the department of soil, water, and environmental science at the University of Arizona.

—Daniel Stolt

also : a device used in sanitizing

This ozone-generating sanitizer looks like a miniature tanning bed for your manual toothbrush—and it emits ultraviolet light (UV) to kill 99.9 percent of brush germs.

—Malinda Govoni

Among the equipment that impressed him: … A wall-mounted food sanitizer that diverts water from the sink tap and charges it with ozone before dispensing it through the aerator for produce cleaning.

—Howard Riell

Examples of sanitizer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, the dishwasher sanitizer measured zero parts per million. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 17 July 2025

The same goes for your hands (the USDA recommends washing for at least 20 seconds using soap and water or using hand sanitizer or towelettes with at least 60% alcohol if running water is not available).7 To prevent cross-contamination, keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate, said Buffer. —Cathy Nelson, Health, 2 July 2025

Chlorine sanitizer bucket at too high concentration (200ppm). —Gege Reed, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Don't forget to teach your child to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after blowing their nose. —Aleksandra Weber, Parents, 12 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sanitizer

• advertiser
• analyser
• analyzer
• appetizer
• atomizer
• breathalyzer
• colonizer
• crystallizer
• digitizer
• equalizer
• fertilizer
• localizer