as in cleaned
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 decontaminated
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
The sheriff's office says first responders were decontaminated at the hospital.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Has been contaminated due to methamphetamine and the owner has not appealed or decontaminated the property within 90 days.
—Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 June 2025
Tony Saavedra, Daily News, 5 Mar. 2026
The sheriff's office says first responders were decontaminated at the hospital.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Has been contaminated due to methamphetamine and the owner has not appealed or decontaminated the property within 90 days.
—Jolene Almendarez, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminated
Verb
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The holding rooms also need to be cleaned at least once a day, and detainees need to have a medical screening within 12 hours of entry.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
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To prolong their lifespan, plastic cutting boards can be put in the dishwasher for cleaning; wooden ones can be cleaned with a diluted bleach solution or disinfectant.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Strugglers also reflect the larger societal and political shifts that have swept through India.—
Taran Khan,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Minnesota swept Seattle during the regular season last year and then eliminated the Sounders in the best-of-three first round of the playoffs, winning twice at home on penalty kicks after 0-0 and 3-3 draws in regulation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Grenell was appointed interim director of the Kennedy Center in February 2025 after Trump purged the historic venue’s former leadership and inserted himself as chairman of the board.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
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Pristine lunar samples are stored and handled in stainless steel glove cabinets, separated by triple layers of gloves, and purged by high-purity nitrogen gas to reduce sample degradation.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminated. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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