deodorize

verb

dē-ˈō-də-ˌrīz How to pronounce deodorize (audio)
Definition of deodorizenext
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses the propaganda film attempts to deodorize the dictator's history of human rights abuses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deodorize How steam cleaners work Steam cleaners use boiling water instead of soap to clean and deodorize carpets. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 June 2026 When washing pet blankets or bedding, add ½ cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle and use hot water to deodorize them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 Baking soda and vinegar offer an eco-friendly way to clear and deodorize drains. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 30 May 2026 Gentle, deodorizing ear wipes that remove dirt and wax to help prevent itching, odor and infections between vet visits. — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for deodorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deodorize
  1. excuse
  2. explain
  3. justify
  4. palliate
  5. whitewash
  6. explain away
Verb
  • Everyone was happy to see Tim Ream excused his yellow card and Miguel Almiron cautioned for diving, including me.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The 49ers’ secondary struggled to make plays last season, and while an anemic pass rush didn’t help, that can’t excuse a lack of production.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 21 July 2026
Definition of excuse
Verb
  • But Antonelli’s ease with the new cars and Russell’s discomfort with having to adopt a radically new driving style can’t explain the half-second gap between the pair in qualifying.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
  • When pressed repeatedly by a Fox News cohost for specifics on the operation, Homan explained that disclosing that type of information could risk officer safety and prompt criminals to flee.
    — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 20 July 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • There was contact across the Mexican’s face, but nowhere near enough to justify a red card for violent conduct.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The district attorney did not file charges against police in that incident, determining the officer was justified.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.
    — Longreads, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
Definition of palliate
Verb
  • Critics have warned that the new panels replacing the ones exhibited since 2010 whitewash the history of slavery.
    — Corey Williams, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
  • Sant Pol de Mar swaps crowded stretches of sand for quieter coves, whitewashed buildings and a noticeably calmer atmosphere than Barcelona.
    — Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of whitewash
Verb
  • Those anemic numbers help explain the President’s mania for changing the subject to election fraud—laying the groundwork to explain away any losses in November, or, worse, something closer to what Himes warned about.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • There are other options, but regardless of what’s on the table for the future, burnout deserves to be taken seriously rather than explained away out of pride, guilt, or habit.
    — Scott Hanson, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of explain away

Browse Nearby Words

denying
deodorize
deodorized
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Cite this Entry

“Deodorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deodorize. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deodorize for Spanish Speakers

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