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
Vacuum only after the area is thoroughly decontaminated.
—
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 5 May 2026
Sergei Skripal’s home, the area surrounding the bench where the pair was found, the home of a detective who fell ill, and two ambulance stations had to be decontaminated, along with the restaurant and pub.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
Among our responsibilities was decontaminating people and equipment after exposure to hazardous materials.
—Jennifer N. Pritzker, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Penny and Ghazarian hired their own industrial hygienist, who concluded the property needed to be decontaminated of heavy metals and other combustion by-products.
—Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 5 May 2026
Sergei Skripal’s home, the area surrounding the bench where the pair was found, the home of a detective who fell ill, and two ambulance stations had to be decontaminated, along with the restaurant and pub.
—Nick Tabor, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Apr. 2026
Among our responsibilities was decontaminating people and equipment after exposure to hazardous materials.
—Jennifer N. Pritzker, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Penny and Ghazarian hired their own industrial hygienist, who concluded the property needed to be decontaminated of heavy metals and other combustion by-products.
—Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
-
One of its findings was that those countries that prioritized transitioning to clean energy alongside electrification and efficiency saved some $260 billion in fossil fuel import costs last year, with savings expected to grow substantially this year.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
Approximately $310 million will support cleaning efforts of buses, trains, facilities, stations and stops.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Take a non-abrasive, lint-free cleaning cloth, dampen it with water, and wipe the vinegar residue off the outdoor smoker.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
4 June 2026
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This versatile companion bag is crafted from soft, pebbled vegan leather that’s easy to wipe clean.—
Sarah Scott,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Here was a symbolic way of purging Hindu society of untouchability.—
Wyatt Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
Burgum purged the department of roughly 13,000 staffers last year and announced efforts to reduce its workforce by even more in April.—
Joseph Konig,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
They were swept in the wild-card round by the eventual World Series champion Texas Rangers.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
-
The size of Ohio’s tax break skyrocketed, dwarfing previous projections, as opposition to data centers is sweeping through cities, suburbs and towns there and prompting lawmakers to form a committee to study the impact.—
Marc Levy,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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