Deodorize
What it means
To remove or neutralize an unpleasant smell.
Reach for it when describing odor removal rather than covering a smell with fragrance
Fresh charcoal can deodorize the cupboard without added perfume.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| professional |
|
| literary |
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everyday
air
Fits when ventilation is the practical method
Careful Airing may dilute a smell without removing the material causing it.
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everyday
Fits when making a place smell more pleasant is enough
Careful Freshen can mask an odor with fragrance instead of removing its source.
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professional
neutralize
Fits when a chemical or physical process cancels the odor
Careful Neutralize is broad and needs an object to make the smell context clear.
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professional
sanitize
Fits when reducing microbes is the intended intervention
Careful Sanitizing does not guarantee odor removal, and odor alone does not prove contamination.
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professional
ventilate
Fits when replacing indoor air is the exact action
Careful Ventilation can control fumes yet leave odor absorbed in surfaces.
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literary
perfume
Fits when adding a pleasant scent is genuinely intended
Careful Perfume covers or changes a smell rather than deodorizing it.
Opposites 3
- odorize
- scent
- stink
Common phrases 4
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deodorize a room
Opening both windows helped deodorize the room after painting.
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naturally deodorize
Baking soda can naturally deodorize the empty refrigerator.
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deodorize fabric
The conservator tested a dry method to deodorize fabric.
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clean and deodorize
Staff clean and deodorize the reusable bins after collection.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Flame, not lame, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated