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

But she’s also got Flonase, Flamingo Estate Manuka Honey cream, lavender-scented hand sanitizer, Advil, electrolyte mix, and—what’s that?—another Flonase! —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 23 June 2025

However, the district is providing water and hand sanitizer to students. —Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2025

Then, clean the affected area with rubbing alcohol, and wash your hands with soap and water or sanitizer. —Angela Haupt, Time, 30 May 2025

Too much sanitizer, no sanitizer, bad scoops and flies were on the list of problems that caused a West Miami-Dade Sedano’s Supermarket to fail state inspection on Monday. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 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