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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 decontaminate The wire seals certify a vessel had either been decontaminated and inspected for invasive species or was last launched in the Lake Tahoe basin, agency officials said in a news release. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for decontaminate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminate

Verb

Combs paid inmates to clean and cook special meals for him, including curry chicken, pizza and empanadas, and that the hip-hop artist also received Chinese-style massages, four sources told NBC News.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
My mom enrolled as a junior at Hollywood High School and took care of the house—cleaning, reheating frozen chicken pot pies, and making sure everyone did their homework.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of clean

Verb

Transfer mushrooms to plate with sausage; do not wipe skillet clean and set skillet aside.

— Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2026
At one point, Blair cried with tears running down her face, and her lawyer Reitzas moved to wipe them from her face as Blair remained handcuffed during the proceedings.

— Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of wipe

Verb

Wikipedia has failed to purge antisemitic and anti-Israel propaganda pushed by bad-actor editors, the Anti-Defamation League warns.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of purge

Verb

Cartier topped the ring category with the Love sweeping into first place, followed by the Hermès Chaine d’Ancre Enchainee and the Chanel Coco Crush.

— Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
They were then swept by the Chicago White Sox in two games at home in a Wild Card Playoff series.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of sweep

Browse Nearby Words

deconstructs

decontaminate

decontaminated

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Decontaminate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of decontaminate

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

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

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes