decontaminate

verb
UK: /ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/
US: /ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/

  1. To remove dangerous substances from something.

    1. We must decontaminate the area after the chemical spill.
    2. The team worked to decontaminate the equipment after it had been exposed to radiation.

  2. To make something safe by removing pollution, poison, or infection.

    1. They need to decontaminate the water supply quickly.
    2. It is important to decontaminate surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of germs.

Synonyms

sterilize sanitize purify disinfect cleanse
decontaminate noun

  1. The process of removing or neutralizing contaminants.

    1. Decontamination is important after an accident.
    2. The decontamination process took several hours because of the nature of the spillage.
decontaminate adjective

  1. Relating to the process of removing contaminants.

    1. The decontamination team arrived to clean the area.
    2. The decontamination efforts helped to make the place safe for people.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "decontaminate" in English means: To remove dangerous substances from something., To make something safe by removing pollution, poison, or infection..

The phonetic transcription of "decontaminate" is /ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/ in British English and /ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "decontaminate": sterilize, sanitize, purify, disinfect, cleanse.

Example usage of "decontaminate": "We must decontaminate the area after the chemical spill.". More examples on the page.