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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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

For those with children or pets, the performance fabric is designed to wipe clean, and the seat cushions are removable to easily clean the sofa’s frame.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026
Smith appeared to cry and wipe her face during the bond court hearing.

— DAVID J. NEAL, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of wipe

Verb

Read All About It Two workers in Nepal were rescued from a hydropower tunnel and others are believed to be trapped inside nine days after deadly floods swept through the country.

— Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Sah said there seemed to be three or four more people still stuck in the tunnel, and possibly even more, as the tunnel is long and some may have been swept deeper inside.

— Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 4 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of decontaminate

verb

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