How to Use sterilize in a Sentence

sterilize

verb
  • The organization encourages people to sterilize their cats and dogs.
  • The acid of the lemons will sterilize the grill and cut the grease off.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 July 2025
  • The acid of the lemons will sterilize the grill and cut the grease off.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2024
  • Surgeons didn’t sterilize their tools or even wash their hands.
    — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 13 Apr. 2022
  • Less than six months later, he was forcibly sterilized.
    — Addie Morfoot, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Others have pumps to suck a bite dry, or sulfide to sterilize it.
    — Kyle Dickman, Outside Online, 20 June 2018
  • Such flares may well sterilize any life that might develop on such a world.
    — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, 15 Nov. 2017
  • The process will soon be used to sterilize the masks for doctors and nurses.
    — Detroit Free Press, 3 Apr. 2020
  • Next to the sink is a UV slot that can sterilize your phone, too.
    — Wilson Rothman, WSJ, 15 Jan. 2021
  • First, sterilize a paper clip by putting it over a flame and heating the tip.
    — Jeff Gaudette, Outside Online, 12 Oct. 2021
  • Use a sharp knife or pruners that have been sterilized with alcohol.
    — Lauren David, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2024
  • Also, be sure to sterilize pruners used to make the cuts between palms.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Our tester no longer found sterilizing a chore thanks to this product.
    — Olivia Campbell, Parents, 24 June 2025
  • Use it to start a fire, provide light, and even sterilize equipment.
    — Joe Jackson, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2015
  • Clean and sterilize any surface the bacon might have touched.
    — Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
  • Then clean and sterilize a container that has drainage holes.
    — Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 4 June 2021
  • But re-using glass means it must be washed and sterilized, and that takes resources, too.
    — Alice Bell, CNN, 5 Nov. 2019
  • Work still must be done to find the right way to sterilize the alien material.
    — The Salt Lake Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022
  • Their sweaty garments are tossed into a pile that is sterilized and hung by two workers.
    — Bryan West, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
  • To sterilize jars, place jars in a boiling-water canner with a rack.
    — Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2023
  • Then, sterilize the empty, lidless jars by placing them, right side up on the rack in your pot.
    — Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2020
  • Cannabis has been sterilized enough to lure even the most conservative squares.
    — Madison Margolin, Quartz, 4 June 2019
  • Bring to boiling; sterilize jars for 10 minutes at a steady boil.
    — Bhg Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2023
  • To prevent the spread of pathogens, begin by sterilizing your tools.
    — Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 24 May 2026
  • According to Cantwell, all items used by your piercer should be pre-sterilized and opened in front of you.
    — Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 19 Dec. 2017
  • The devices cannot be exposed to high heat to be sterilized, as many instruments are.
    — Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2019
  • To sterilize empty jars, set them mouth up on the rack in a boiling-water canner.
    — Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
  • Wynne preheats her jars in the oven to sterilize them and ensure enough heat for proper sealing.
    — Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2021
  • Wynne turns the jars upside down to sterilize the interior of the lid.
    — Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2021
  • When choosing products made from down, check the label to see if the filling was sterilized.
    — Jodi Helmer, ELLE Decor, 19 Oct. 2011

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sterilize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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