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 300-350 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
Items worn in floodwaters should not be worn inside the home and should be decontaminated and washed, authorities said.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The problem is exacerbated when healthcare workers turn to procedures to decontaminate and reuse masks, such as baking or boiling, UV light towers, even large fumigation machines, all of which can extinguish a mask’s electrostatic charge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
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
Items worn in floodwaters should not be worn inside the home and should be decontaminated and washed, authorities said.
—Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2025
The problem is exacerbated when healthcare workers turn to procedures to decontaminate and reuse masks, such as baking or boiling, UV light towers, even large fumigation machines, all of which can extinguish a mask’s electrostatic charge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Sep. 2020
See All Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
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Before cleaning, check the care label or manufacturer’s instructions for specific directions to care for the materials contained in the rug.—
Karen Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 June 2025
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This also allows access to the interior of the hood, which should be cleaned periodically using a mild detergent.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
Verb
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For your sink, wipe the interior of the lemon along the inside of your sink.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
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Using a floured 2 1/2- to 3-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, punch out 6 rounds, wiping the cutter clean and reflouring as needed.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth purged some of Colby’s allies in a complicated internal political spat in April, and the person directly involved in some of the internal arguments said Hegseth tends to side with Kurilla in the arguments over the Middle East.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 June 2025
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Where companies once stored every piece of data indefinitely, there's now a clear need to purge outdated or irrelevant information.—
Rajnish Nath,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Verb
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The Thunder, the No. 1 seed at the start of the playoffs, swept Memphis, beat Denver in seven, beat Minnesota in five.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
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To earn a No. 1 national ranking, Byron Nelson swept through the Class 6A Division II playoffs, failing to drop a single set on the way to a state title.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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