vaporize

verb

va·​por·​ize ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized; vaporizing
Synonyms of vaporizenext

transitive verb

1
: to convert (as by the application of heat or by spraying) into vapor
2
: to cause to become dissipated
3
: to destroy by or as if by converting into vapor
a tank vaporized by a shell

intransitive verb

1
: to become vaporized
2
: vapor sense 2
vaporizable
ˈvā-pə-ˌrī-zə-bəl How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
adjective
vaporization
ˌvā-pər-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
noun

Synonyms of vaporize

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Examples of vaporize in a Sentence

Heat is used to vaporize the liquid. Pressure causes the chemical to vaporize.
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.
Four good friends and fellow volunteers vaporized in a fireball, their debris raining down to the sea, their bodies never seen again. — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 18 May 2026 The new law also broadens the types of products dispensaries can sell, including gummies, edibles, and vaporized flower. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Temperatures on its dayside climb high enough to vaporize metals, while previous studies have suggested that iron may condense and fall as rain on the cooler nightside. — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 June 2026 That trail of vaporizing particles breaking off the asteroid causes a bright streak of light across the sky called a meteor, or colloquially a shooting star. — Adam Lark, Scientific American, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for vaporize

Word History

Etymology

vapor entry 1 + -ize

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaporize was in 1803

Rhymes for vaporize

See All Rhymes for vaporize

Browse Nearby Words

vaporizable
vaporize
vaporizer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

vaporize

verb
va·​por·​ize ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized; vaporizing
: to turn from a liquid or solid into vapor
vaporization
ˌvā-pə-rə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

vaporize

verb
va·​por·​ize
variants also British vaporise
ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized also British vaporised; vaporizing also British vaporising

transitive verb

: to convert from a liquid or solid into a vapor
vaporized plaque in an artery with laser treatment

intransitive verb

: to become vaporized
vaporizable adjective
also British vaporisable
-ˌrī-zə-bəl How to pronounce vaporize (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on vaporize

Nglish: Translation of vaporize for Spanish Speakers

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