decontaminate

verb

de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating; decontaminates
Synonyms of decontaminatenext

transitive verb

: to rid of contamination (such as radioactive material)
decontamination
ˌdē-kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun
decontaminator
ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnā-tər How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

Examples of decontaminate in a Sentence

Special workers were called in to decontaminate the area after the oil spill.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Specialist teams came to retrieve the body and decontaminate the roadside, while his family members stood around and wept. — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 15 June 2026 More than a dozen first responders were quarantined and decontaminated after responding to the scene. — ABC News, 22 May 2026 All first responders and equipment involved in the operation had to be decontaminated, officials said. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026 The bodies must be decontaminated before being taken to the corner’s office, local authorities said. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for decontaminate

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decontaminate was in 1936

Rhymes for decontaminate

See All Rhymes for decontaminate

Browse Nearby Words

deconstructivism
decontaminate
decontextualize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decontaminate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

decontaminate

verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
: to rid of something (as radioactive material) that contaminates
decontamination
-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

decontaminate

transitive verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating
: to rid of contamination (as radioactive material)
decontamination
-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decontaminate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for decontaminate

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