DECONTAMINATE Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

decontaminate

verb

Definition of decontaminate

as in to clean

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.

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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 decontaminate After everyone on board has disembarked, the ship will be decontaminated based on Dutch public health guidelines, a process that will take about three days, according to van Duijnhoven. — Molly Quell, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2026 The wire seals certify a vessel had either been decontaminated and inspected for invasive species or was last launched in the Lake Tahoe basin, agency officials said in a news release. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 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 Officials have decontaminated the facility’s inmate housing as a precaution and medical staff are monitoring prisoners and staff, The Mercury News reported. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for decontaminate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate

Verb

Then, cleaning robots would handle waste detection and room upkeep using AI.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
As volunteers fanned out Sunday to clean debris from the beach, leaders blamed social media and out-of-state youths for fueling disorder and pledged a full post-holiday safety review.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of clean

Verb

Separate the jade plant from other plants so the pests won’t spread, then wipe the leaves with neem oil.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Suppose a relatively small near-Earth object is speeding toward our planet, threatening to wipe the city of Dallas (whose population is over a million) off the map.

— Govert Schilling, Scientific American, 27 June 2026

Definition of wipe

Verb

Doctors, following accepted practice, would likely have bled or purged an ill person for humoral balance.

— Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Among those purged or forced to retire have been a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of naval operations and the head of the Defense Health Agency.

— Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026

Definition of purge

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deconstructs

decontaminate

decontaminated

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“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of decontaminate

verb

Example Sentences

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