sterilize

verb

Definition of sterilizenext
as in to alter

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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 sterilize Workers raise batches of the flies themselves, sterilize them with radiation, and then air-drop them over affected areas each week. — Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026 Remember to wash and sterilize any bottles, scoops, or mixing containers by running them through the dishwasher or using hot soapy water. — Sarah Scott, Parents, 15 June 2026 Explainer The facilities sterilize screwworm pupae with radiation to produce sterile flies, and the males are then distributed to mate with wild female flies. — Ilena Peng, Fortune, 13 June 2026 Boiling Clothes Won't Get Them Cleaner In the past, when options for doing laundry were more limited, boiling fabrics to sterilize and clean them was a common practice. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sterilize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterilize
  1. alter
  2. neuter
  3. castrate
  4. emasculate
  5. fix
Verb
  • Vibe Science frames the next generation as devices that alter physiology on demand.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
  • Cárdenas talked with episode director Trey Edward Shults about the right way to illustrate the Bowdens’ POV and landed on a number of devices that would alter reality without becoming overly self-conscious.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 3 July 2026
Definition of alter
Verb
  • That panel did adopt a nonpartisan elections/open primaries proposal and sent it to the City Clerk on May 27, which was the same day that Mayor Mamdani evoked a new state law meant to neuter the Adams/Mastro panel.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 6 July 2026
  • Now that the referee’s decision has been effectively neutered with few details as to why, the world is left to draw its own conclusions.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of neuter
Verb
  • Earlier this month, on Monday, June 8, Municipal Court Judge Louis Sancinito found Lowe guilty of possessing the deer without a permit, interfering with a conservation officer attempting to confiscate the animal, and having Rudy illegally castrated.
    — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
  • Seemingly to help stave off temptation, a half dozen of the 18 male cult members who died had been surgically castrated, according to The New York Times, including Applewhite.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 8 June 2026
Definition of castrate
Verb
  • Under Republican control, the House of Representatives has been emasculated.
    — Linh Tat, Oc Register, 5 May 2026
  • No matter what agenda the president espoused—the economic pragmatism of Rafsanjani, the liberal aspirations of Mohammad Khatami, the populist provocations of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the nuclear diplomacy of Hassan Rouhani—Khamenei emasculated him.
    — Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of emasculate
Verb
  • And 35% of Americans currently disagree with deploying violence to fix their concerns about the direction of the country.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 1 July 2026
  • This way, the hotel staff can fix any issues and help your stay feel far more comfortable.
    — Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Definition of fix

Browse Nearby Words

sterility
sterilize
sterilized
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Cite this Entry

“Sterilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterilize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sterilize

Nglish: Translation of sterilize for Spanish Speakers

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