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

It can be found on produce in the field and isn’t easily removed by washing or common sanitizers. — Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

Be sure that when the sanitizer is in use that the light is contained within the shoe. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026

The parasite also resists some sanitizers used during commercial processing. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 3 Aug. 2026

For bigger, one-time recycling services, CheckSammy accepts a wide range of hard-to-recycle materials, like e-waste (electronics), plastic, metal, beauty products, organics, cardboard, textiles, and even hand sanitizer. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sanitizer

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