decontaminate
verb
de·con·tam·i·nate
ˌdē-kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnāt 
decontaminated; decontaminating; decontaminates
: to rid of contamination (such as radioactive material)
Examples of decontaminate in a Sentence
Special workers were called in to decontaminate the area after the oil spill.
Recent Examples on the Web
The state also requires any boat be decontaminated when moving between waters to try and prevent spreading invasive species.
Both Michigan and Wisconsin killed bills that aimed to pass broad wake surfing regulations.
—
Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 20 June 2024
The soil needed to be decontaminated of lead and other harmful chemicals because the site had once been a city dump.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2024
Phoenix Fire Department was first on scene and worked to decontaminate the area and provide aid to the driver of the tractor-trailer.
—Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 15 May 2024
The state banned PFAs from use in firefighting foam and food packaging in 2021, and is working with local fire departments to decontaminate more than 400 fire pumpers that had onboard foam-spraying systems.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decontaminate 
Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 20 June 2024
The soil needed to be decontaminated of lead and other harmful chemicals because the site had once been a city dump.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 14 June 2024
Phoenix Fire Department was first on scene and worked to decontaminate the area and provide aid to the driver of the tractor-trailer.
—Eshaan Sarup, The Arizona Republic, 15 May 2024
The state banned PFAs from use in firefighting foam and food packaging in 2021, and is working with local fire departments to decontaminate more than 400 fire pumpers that had onboard foam-spraying systems.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decontaminate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decontaminate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near decontaminate
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decontaminate. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decontaminate
verb
de·con·tam·i·nate
ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt
: to rid of something (as radioactive material) that contaminates
Medical Definition
decontaminate
transitive verb
de·con·tam·i·nate
ˌdē-kən-ˈtam-ə-ˌnāt
decontaminated; decontaminating
: to rid of contamination (as radioactive material)
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