vaporize

verb

va·​por·​ize ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized; vaporizing
Synonyms of vaporizenext

transitive verb

1
: to convert (as by the application of heat or by spraying) into vapor
2
: to cause to become dissipated
3
: to destroy by or as if by converting into vapor
a tank vaporized by a shell

intransitive verb

1
: to become vaporized
2
: vapor sense 2
vaporizable
ˈvā-pə-ˌrī-zə-bəl How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
adjective
vaporization
ˌvā-pər-ə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
noun

Synonyms of vaporize

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of vaporize in a Sentence

Heat is used to vaporize the liquid. Pressure causes the chemical to vaporize.
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.
Scientists have previously speculated that a GRB would vaporize anything caught in its death rays up to 200 light-years from the source. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026 Next up, the company deployed its 100-kilowatt power plant, named Adélie, that is designed to vaporize incoming hydrothermal fluid to spin a turbine and drive an electric generator. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026 Shooting stars become visible when particles of the ancient comet collide with our planet's atmosphere at 147,600 miles per hour (237,539 kilometers per hour), vaporizing in a spectacular display of natural fireworks. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Entire families were vaporized by a single two-thousand-pound bomb. — Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vaporize

Word History

Etymology

vapor entry 1 + -ize

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vaporize was in 1803

Rhymes for vaporize

See All Rhymes for vaporize

Browse Nearby Words

vaporizable
vaporize
vaporizer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vaporize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaporize. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

vaporize

verb
va·​por·​ize ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized; vaporizing
: to turn from a liquid or solid into vapor
vaporization
ˌvā-pə-rə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

vaporize

verb
va·​por·​ize
variants also British vaporise
ˈvā-pə-ˌrīz How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
vaporized also British vaporised; vaporizing also British vaporising

transitive verb

: to convert from a liquid or solid into a vapor
vaporized plaque in an artery with laser treatment

intransitive verb

: to become vaporized
vaporizable adjective
also British vaporisable
-ˌrī-zə-bəl How to pronounce vaporize (audio)
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All