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
Workers have complained of chemical burns from the waste material generated by the tunneling process, and firefighters must decontaminate their equipment after conducting rescues from the project sites.
—
Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025
Last week, a Democratic Congressional candidate was seen being thrown to the ground by a federal agent – the moment was captured on video – while local leaders reported having to leave the protest to decontaminate themselves after tear gas was deployed.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
There are free stations to decontaminate watercraft around the state — for more information go to the DNR website.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025
Afterward, the animals were decontaminated and bathed, and those who experienced the most inhalation are being supervised at a veterinary clinic, Halverson said.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 10 Oct. 2025
Last week, a Democratic Congressional candidate was seen being thrown to the ground by a federal agent – the moment was captured on video – while local leaders reported having to leave the protest to decontaminate themselves after tear gas was deployed.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
There are free stations to decontaminate watercraft around the state — for more information go to the DNR website.
—Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025
Afterward, the animals were decontaminated and bathed, and those who experienced the most inhalation are being supervised at a veterinary clinic, Halverson said.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
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An Indian farmer cleans solar panels on his land, used to power a water pump and irrigation system for crops in Solawata, Rajasthan, India.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The school’s labyrinth of ducts and pipes making up the HVAC system was also thoroughly cleaned.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rinse with warm water and wipe with a microfiber cloth.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
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Let the towel remain on the stovetop for at least 15 minutes and then wipe with a clean cloth to remove debris.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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And so every autocrat ends up purging any kind of critic.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Celebrini, Smith and Collin Graf combined for six points as the Sharks swept their season series with the Rangers.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
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Despite a subtropical climate, rainfall is limited, freshwater resources are scarce and Atlantic trade winds regularly sweep across the islands carrying salt and humidity.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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