sanitizer
noun
san·i·tiz·er
ˈsa-nə-ˌtī-zər 
plural sanitizers
: a substance or product that is used to reduce or eliminate pathogenic agents (such as bacteria) on surfaces
Sales of alcohol-based hand sanitizers were up nearly 17% as of the first week of September compared to the same period last year …—
Laura Landro
Laura Landro"Carvacrol could potentially be used as a food sanitizer … particularly in conjunction with other antimicrobials," says Kelly Bright, associate research scientist in the department of soil, water, and environmental science at the University of Arizona.—Daniel Stolt
Daniel Stolt
also
: a device used in sanitizing
This ozone-generating sanitizer looks like a miniature tanning bed for your manual toothbrush—and it emits ultraviolet light (UV) to kill 99.9 percent of brush germs. —Malinda Govoni
Malinda Govoni Among the equipment that impressed him: … A wall-mounted food sanitizer that diverts water from the sink tap and charges it with ozone before dispensing it through the aerator for produce cleaning. —Howard Riell
Howard Riell Examples of sanitizer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The manager ordered more sanitizer and bleach during the inspection, and the dishware was corrected to be washed manually until the dishwasher has more sanitizer.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026
English told police the cloth was soaked in hand sanitizer.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Investigators from the district attorney’s offices found that the drug store sold expired over-the-counter items including sunscreen, hand sanitizer and aspirin, prosecutors said, adding that the effectiveness of these products is sometimes reduced after their expiration date.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The facility was missing sanitizer testing strips.
—Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanitizer
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Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026
English told police the cloth was soaked in hand sanitizer.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Investigators from the district attorney’s offices found that the drug store sold expired over-the-counter items including sunscreen, hand sanitizer and aspirin, prosecutors said, adding that the effectiveness of these products is sometimes reduced after their expiration date.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The facility was missing sanitizer testing strips.
—Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanitizer
Cite this Entry
“Sanitizer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanitizer. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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