To remove, neutralize, or destroy harmful contaminants on a person, object, or place.
Reach for it when describing controlled removal of a known hazardous substance
Specialists decontaminated the workshop before anyone returned.
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| professional | |
| formal |
everyday
Fits when removing dirt or residue to an ordinary standard is enough
Careful Something can look clean while a dangerous contaminant remains.
everyday
sanitize
Fits when reducing microbes to a public-health standard is sufficient
Careful Sanitizing lowers a microbial load but may not make hazardous material safe.
professional
Fits when a poison is removed or chemically made less harmful
Careful Detoxify focuses on toxic substances and not infectious or radioactive material.
professional
Fits when harmful microorganisms on a surface are being destroyed
Careful Disinfection does not remove chemical, radioactive, or particulate contamination.
professional
sterilize
Fits when eliminating all viable microorganisms is required
Careful Sterilization is a stricter microbial standard and says nothing about many toxic chemicals.
formal
Fits when polluted land, water, or buildings need sustained restoration
Careful Remediation covers a wider environmental project than the decontamination step.
decontaminate equipment
The crew followed a posted sequence to decontaminate equipment.
decontaminate the site
Licensed contractors will decontaminate the site before demolition.
fully decontaminate
One rinse was not enough to fully decontaminate the protective suit.
safe to decontaminate
The supervisor confirmed that the sealed unit was safe to decontaminate.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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