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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Recent Examples of decontaminate
Soldiers have to suit up in cumbersome NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protective gear and spend about an hour decontaminating a single vehicle.
—
Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2024
Some residents are allowed to visit their homes but can’t move back there while thousands of workers remove topsoil, branches, and other materials to decontaminate these areas.
—Amanda Kennell, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2024
Toby and Will have to work out their issues, CJ lays some hard truths on Donna, and Leo and Abbey have a frank discussion while Bartlet, Debbie, and Charlie are decontaminated.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024
On a hot summer day in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, dozens of men removed pipes, asbestos and hazardous waste while working to decontaminate a nuclear facility and prepare it for demolition.
—Cathy Bussewitz, The Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decontaminate 
Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2024
Some residents are allowed to visit their homes but can’t move back there while thousands of workers remove topsoil, branches, and other materials to decontaminate these areas.
—Amanda Kennell, Discover Magazine, 19 Oct. 2024
Toby and Will have to work out their issues, CJ lays some hard truths on Donna, and Leo and Abbey have a frank discussion while Bartlet, Debbie, and Charlie are decontaminated.
—Matthew Jackson, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2024
On a hot summer day in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, dozens of men removed pipes, asbestos and hazardous waste while working to decontaminate a nuclear facility and prepare it for demolition.
—Cathy Bussewitz, The Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decontaminate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate
Verb
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This one has six vibration patterns to play around with and is made with silicone that’s waterproof and easy to clean.—
Jessica Kasparian,
SELF,
31 Jan. 2025
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But detaining people who clean shrimp at a Newark seafood market while freeing Jan. 6 violent rioters is not only morally questionable but economically insane.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But this sweeping action has wiped clean the slate for them.—
Shayla Colon,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Under the practice, official accounts for higher positions of power retain their followers but the posts on the page are wiped clean.—
Solcyré Burga,
TIME,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, caused in part by shoddy lending standards at major banks, U.S. regulators increased pressure on lenders to purge clients in industries considered higher risk for money laundering or fraud.—
Hugh Son,Leslie Picker,
CNBC,
23 Jan. 2025
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President Trump threatened to purge officers from the U.S. military upon returning to the White House, and his new administration has already started making leadership changes.—
April Rubin,
Axios,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Directed by Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez quickly swept awards shows this year, earning 13 Oscar nominations — the most of any nominee this year — and breaking the Academy’s record for most nominations for a non-English-language film.—
Samantha Riedel,
Them,
31 Jan. 2025
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Cal, which joined Stanford in the ACC, swept the Cardinal this year for the first time in 39 years.—
Jerry McDonald,
The Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near decontaminate
Cite this Entry
“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.
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