sterilize

UK: /ˈstɛrɪlaɪz/ US: /ˈstɛrəˌlaɪz/ ,(ster′ə līz′)

Inflections of 'sterilize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

sterilizes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

sterilizing

v pres p (US & UK)

sterilized

v past (US & UK)

sterilized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ster•i•lize /ˈstɛrəˌlaɪz/   v. [~ + object] , -lized, -liz•ing. 

1. Laboratory to cleanse by destroying bacteria, microorganisms, parasites, etc., usually by heating at a high temperature:
   sterilized the operating instruments.
2. Medicine, Surgery to make or cause (a person or animal) to be unable to produce young, by removing or interfering with the normal operation of the sex organs.

ster•i•li•za•tion /ˌstɛrələˈzeɪʃən/  n. 

[uncountable] To control population growth the government forced women who had more than one child to undergo sterilization.

[countable] The number of sterilizations increased in the last decade.

ster•i•liz•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ster•i•lize  (ster′ə līz′), v.t., -lized, -liz•ing. 

1. Laboratory, Medicine to destroy microorganisms in or on, usually by bringing to a high temperature with steam, dry heat, or boiling liquid.
2. Medicine, Surgery to destroy the ability of (a person or animal) to reproduce by removing the sex organs or inhibiting their functions.
3. Agriculture, Botany to make (land) barren or unproductive.
4. Informal Terms to delete or remove anything comprising or damaging from:
   to sterilize a government document before releasing it to the press.
5. Informal Terms to isolate or completely protect from unwanted, unauthorized, or unwholesome activities, attitudes, influences, etc.:
   You can't sterilize children against violence.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] ster′i•lise′. 

• sterile + -ize 1685–95

ster′i•liz′a•ble, adj. 
ster′i•liz′a•bil′i•ty, n. 
ster′i•liz′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sterilize, sterilise / ˈstɛrɪˌlaɪz/ verb

1. (transitive) to render sterile; make infertile or barren