deodorize

verb

dē-ˈō-də-ˌrīz How to pronounce deodorize (audio)
Definition of deodorizenext
as in to excuse
to make (something) seem less bad by offering excuses the propaganda film attempts to deodorize the dictator's history of human rights abuses

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 deodorize Lineage is also using misters inside the building to try to deodorize the food until it is removed from the site. — Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 How steam cleaners work Steam cleaners use boiling water instead of soap to clean and deodorize carpets. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 June 2026 When washing pet blankets or bedding, add ½ cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle and use hot water to deodorize them. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 Gentle, deodorizing ear wipes that remove dirt and wax to help prevent itching, odor and infections between vet visits. — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 25 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for deodorize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deodorize
  1. excuse
  2. explain
  3. justify
  4. palliate
  5. whitewash
  6. explain away
Verb
  • State lawmakers passed legislation this summer to require school principals to excuse student absences related to private, off-campus religious instruction programs.
    — Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The abuse of women and girls has long been ignored, excused, protected and even turned into profit.
    — Jodi Bondi Norgaard, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of excuse
Verb
  • One of the questions, directed to David Hunt, director of finance for Entergy Arkansas, asks him to explain the reasoning for the classification of the payments.
    — Sydney Sasser, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of explain
Verb
  • The government may not decide that Church teaching is insufficiently religious, insufficiently consistent with Catholic doctrine, or insufficiently compelling to justify an ecclesiastical policy.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Organizers of Tuesday's rally said the women were released from ICE detention after a judge granted their habeas corpus petitions, meaning the government was required to justify their continued detention.
    — Drew Aunkst, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of justify
Verb
  • Radiation can also be used to palliate painful bone metastases, as well as chemotherapy.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Senior-home avatars who are designed to palliate dementia patients in their darkest days.
    — Longreads, Longreads, 12 Apr. 2024
Definition of palliate
Verb
  • Polished stone-tile floors, whitewashed walls, and spacious bathrooms are common elements of all the rooms.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The one-bedroom space is minimal, deliberately quiet, and whitewashed.
    — Katharine Sohn, Architectural Digest, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of whitewash
Verb
  • But Noelle wasn’t in daycare and had spent much of the COVID-19 pandemic at home, making the frequency of her illnesses harder for Kiya to explain away.
    — Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Still, there's a difference between de-escalating and going out of your way to explain away the actions of the player who just blasted one of your own.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of explain away

Browse Nearby Words

denying
deodorize
deodorized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deodorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deodorize. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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