as in to clean
to remove dirty or dangerous substances (such as radioactive material) from (a person, thing, place, etc.)
Special workers were called in to decontaminate the area after the oil spill.
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Recent Examples of decontaminate
Between 300 and 350 personnel at the facility were decontaminated as a precaution, officials said.
—
David Matthews, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025
A day earlier, sheriff’s officials sent an urgent message out to patrol cars, saying the air had become so toxic after days of wildfires that deputies should wear masks on the job and decontaminate their uniforms before stepping foot in their homes.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Between 300-350 employees were decontaminated at the site and provided Tyvek suits to return home in.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025
But now, researchers have developed a new way to take the genes from all these species and place them in a single bacterial strain that can decontaminate complex waste mixtures.
—ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
David Matthews, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025
A day earlier, sheriff’s officials sent an urgent message out to patrol cars, saying the air had become so toxic after days of wildfires that deputies should wear masks on the job and decontaminate their uniforms before stepping foot in their homes.
—Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Between 300-350 employees were decontaminated at the site and provided Tyvek suits to return home in.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 16 May 2025
But now, researchers have developed a new way to take the genes from all these species and place them in a single bacterial strain that can decontaminate complex waste mixtures.
—ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
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Does cleaning your cleaning supplies seem overkill?—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
-
The brush head is designed to clean hard-to-reach areas, helping to prevent gingivitis and cavities.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
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Some racks can be left inside the oven during a self-clean cycle and wiped clean after the cycle completes.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
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For example, if your smartphone with a digital wallet is lost, the device can be remotely wiped and the payment function deactivated.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Meissner had previously participated in the deliberations of the committee's work group as an outside adviser, before Kennedy purged its voting members.—
Nicole Brown Chau,
CBS News,
26 June 2025
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The Trump administration has leaned heavily on Title IX in its effort to purge sports of transgender women and girls, but attorneys and experts on the 1972 civil rights law say its latest move will disproportionately affect girls who are not transgender.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
14 June 2025
Verb
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The Green Bay Packers went 11-6 last season, sweeping the NFC West and the AFC South along the way.—
Rob Reischel,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
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In the rugged, rolling terrain it’s known for, heavy rains collect quickly in its shallow streams and rivers that can burst into torrents like the deadly flood wave that swept along the Guadalupe River on July Fourth.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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