as in cleaning
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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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decontaminating
Verb
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Always dry the surface with a cloth after cleaning.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Sep. 2025 -
Mangione has been working as an orderly in the prison, responsible for cleaning showers and common areas.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The group accomplished a dazzling political ascent largely by purging their rivals within the party.—
Laura Gersony,
AZCentral.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Maddie hides her binging and purging from Deena and Jake, lying about being pregnant to distract her husband from what’s really going on.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An atmospheric river sweeping through California has prompted the National Weather Service to issue flood watches for vast portions of the state, including the North Bay, North Coast, and Sacramento Valley.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Security is extremely tight in Windsor, with police sweeping the roads, drains and buildings around the castle in the weeks leading up to the president’s arrival.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Decontaminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decontaminating. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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