ventilate

verb

ven·​ti·​late ˈven-tə-ˌlāt How to pronounce ventilate (audio)
ventilated; ventilating

transitive verb

1
a
: to expose to air and especially to a current of fresh air for purifying, curing, or refreshing
ventilate stored grain
also : oxygenate, aerate
ventilate blood in the lungs
b
: to subject the lungs to ventilation
artificially ventilate a patient in respiratory distress
2
a
: to examine, discuss, or investigate freely and openly : expose
ventilating family quarrels in public
b
: to make public : utter
ventilated their objections at length
3
a
of a current of air : to pass or circulate through so as to freshen
b
: to cause fresh air to circulate through (a place, such as a room or a mine)
4
: to provide an opening in (a burning structure) to permit escape of smoke and heat
5
archaic : to free from chaff by winnowing

Examples of ventilate in a Sentence

She opened the windows to ventilate the room. The room was adequately ventilated.
Recent Examples on the Web Specific to cruising, the CDC recommends frequent hand washing and hand sanitizing (more often than on shore) and wearing a mask in crowded or poorly ventilated areas. Scott Laird, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Mar. 2024 Stand-alone options include: 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, second-row side-impact airbags, third-row seating and a hands-free power liftgate. James Raia, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 The cells were usually cold, damp and poorly ventilated 7-feet-by-10-feet concrete spaces. Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2024 Firefighters cut holes in the roof to ventilate the flames and smoke to stop the fire from spreading throughout the building. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 10 Feb. 2024 Crews also cleared the classroom to ensure it was properly ventilated, Langford said. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 18 Feb. 2024 Heated and ventilated front and rear seats are standard, and for extra comfort, a massage feature is available for all seats. Kyle Edward, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Modern helmets are comfortable, well ventilated and not that expensive. Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 When these hair treatments are heated during the application process, formaldehyde is released as a gas, posing serious inhalation risks, especially when salons aren’t properly ventilated. Marci Robin, Allure, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ventilate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "discussed, aired," borrowed from Latin ventilātus, past participle of ventilāre "to expose to the air, fan, expose to consideration," from ventus "wind" + -ilāre, verbal suffix, variant of -ulāre originally in derivatives of nouns ending in -ulus, -ula, -ulum -ule — more at wind entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of ventilate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ventilate

Cite this Entry

“Ventilate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ventilate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ventilate

verb
ven·​ti·​late ˈvent-ᵊl-ˌāt How to pronounce ventilate (audio)
ventilated; ventilating
1
: to discuss freely and openly
ventilate a complaint
2
a
: to expose to air and especially to a current of fresh air
ventilate stored grain
b
: to provide with ventilation
ventilate a room with fans

Medical Definition

ventilate

transitive verb
ven·​ti·​late ˈvent-ᵊl-ˌāt How to pronounce ventilate (audio)
ventilated; ventilating
1
: to expose to air and especially to a current of fresh air for purifying or refreshing
2
a
: oxygenate, aerate
ventilate blood in the lungs
b
: to subject the lungs of (an individual) to ventilation
artificially ventilate a patient in respiratory distress
3
: to give verbal expression to (as mental or emotional conflicts)

More from Merriam-Webster on ventilate

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