decontaminate

UK: /ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt/

US: /ˌdikənˈtæməˌneɪt/

US: (dē′kən tam′ə nāt′)

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

decontaminates

v 3rd person singular

decontaminating

v pres p

decontaminated

v past

decontaminated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

de•con•tam•i•nate /ˌdikənˈtæməˌneɪt/   v. [ ~ + obj], -nat•ed, -nat•ing. 

1. to make (something) safe by removing dangerous substances:
   to decontaminate the nuclear power plant where the leak took place.

de•con•tam•i•na•tion /ˌdikənˌtæməˈneɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

de•con•tam•i•nate  (dē′kən tam′ə nāt′), v.t., -nated, -nat•ing. 

1. to make (an object or area) safe for unprotected personnel by removing, neutralizing, or destroying any harmful substance, as radioactive material or poisonous gas.
2. to make free of contamination;
   purify:
   to decontaminate a sickroom.

• de- + contaminate 1935–40

de′con•tam′i•na′tion, n. 
de′con•tam′i•na′tive, adj. 
de′con•tam′i•na′tor, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

decontaminate / ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪˌneɪt/ verb

1. (transitive) to render (an area, building, object, etc) harmless by the removal, distribution, or neutralization of poisons, radioactivity, etc

ˌdeconˌtamiˈnation noun