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
The bodies must be decontaminated before being taken to the corner’s office, local authorities said.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
More than a dozen first responders were quarantined and decontaminated after responding to the scene.
—
ABC News,
22 May 2026
After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines.
—
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Staff put the man in restraints and took him away to decontaminate.
—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
More than a dozen first responders were quarantined and decontaminated after responding to the scene.
—
ABC News,
22 May 2026
After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines.
—
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Staff put the man in restraints and took him away to decontaminate.
—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
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Ashton's journey from moving bins to cleaning them demonstrates that a complete roadmap isn't necessary; curiosity and taking the next step are crucial.
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Tahoe officials have been vigilant, ensuring all boats are cleaned, drained and dry before launching into Lake Tahoe.
Verb
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Just be sure to wipe data before parting with a phone or computer.
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Rinse your sponge or cloth and wipe again.
Verb
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The move comes as the UK considers following Australia's lead in enacting social media bans for under-16s, a policy that previously forced Snapchat to purge 415,000 underage accounts in Australia.
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At various points during his interview with Sobchak, Dugin called the sport of surfing evil and said that its practitioners should be purged.
Verb
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Flash flooding currents are strong and can sweep drivers off roadways.
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The Mets fired Mendoza on Friday morning after being swept in a four-game series by the Chicago Cubs.
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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