decontaminate

verb

de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating; decontaminates
Synonyms of decontaminatenext

transitive verb

: to rid of contamination (such as radioactive material)
decontamination
ˌdē-kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun
decontaminator
ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnā-tər How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

Examples of decontaminate in a Sentence

Special workers were called in to decontaminate the area after the oil spill.
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.
Those exhibiting suspicious symptoms had samples taken and sent to a laboratory for analysis, the ministry said on Saturday, adding that the vessel was also decontaminated. — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026 Even considering the persistence and peril of anthrax, Stewart reckons that the British government did properly decontaminate the island. — Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 5 Aug. 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 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 See All Example Sentences for decontaminate

Word History

First Known Use

1936, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decontaminate was in 1936

Rhymes for decontaminate

See All Rhymes for decontaminate

Browse Nearby Words

deconstructivism
decontaminate
decontextualize
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decontaminate. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

decontaminate

verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
: to rid of something (as radioactive material) that contaminates
decontamination
-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

decontaminate

transitive verb
de·​con·​tam·​i·​nate ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
decontaminated; decontaminating
: to rid of contamination (as radioactive material)
decontamination
-ˌtam-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce decontaminate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decontaminate

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