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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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 decontaminate Specialist teams came to retrieve the body and decontaminate the roadside, while his family members stood around and wept. — Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 15 June 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 All first responders and equipment involved in the operation had to be decontaminated, officials said. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026 The bodies must be decontaminated before being taken to the corner’s office, local authorities said. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for decontaminate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate

Verb

Hand soap is meant for clearing surface dirt, cleaning expert Andy Wray says.

— Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Whole cobs of corn are cleaned of their silk, tucked back into their husks, and placed on the grill to char.

— Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of clean

Verb

An unmanaged shutdown of the Secuda coal-to-liquids plant operated by South African energy company Sasol could wipe $550 million off the country’s $400 billion economy and cost nearly 25,000 jobs, researchers said.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026
To prevent moisture from seeping into the TV and causing damage, wipe the TV down one final time with a dry microfiber cloth.

— Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of wipe

Verb

The rocks and melted water suddenly swelled the rivers in the valleys below, causing torrents of water that swept buildings, bridges and earth downstream in Tibet and Nepal.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
Following Miller’s and Young’s plea agreement, Missouri lawmakers were divided in their opinions on whether to change the sweeping stand-your-ground laws enacted in 2016.

— Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sweep

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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 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of decontaminate

verb

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