Synonyms of decontaminating

decontaminating

verb

present participle of decontaminate

as in cleaning

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.

Related Words

• cleaning
• purging
• wiping
• sweeping
• scrubbing
• combing
• purifying
• disinfecting
• cleansing
• sanitizing
• washing
• mopping
• rinsing
• brushing
• dusting
• swabbing
• vacuuming
• turning out
• scouring
• laundering
• deterging
• shampooing
• GI'ing
• tidying
• deodorizing
• brightening
• freshening
• sponging
• mucking (out)
• dry-cleaning
• sweetening
• sprucing (up)
• straightening (up)
• uncluttering
• picking up

Dissimilar Words

• polluting
• muddying
• defiling
• tainting
• blackening
• staining
• discoloring
• soiling
• spotting
• fouling
• dirtying
• begriming
• sullying
• besmirching

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of decontaminating

The traditional boundaries between work and life dissolved as workers tried to maintain productivity through economic upheaval, all while decontaminating groceries and managing their children’s online classes. — Tess Lawrence, Harvard Business Review, 1 July 2026

Among our responsibilities was decontaminating people and equipment after exposure to hazardous materials. — Jennifer N. Pritzker, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026

Radiation protection personnel allegedly responded to the incident quickly, pulling the worker from the water and decontaminating him safely. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025