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sanitizing

/ˈsænɪˌtaɪzɪŋ/ · san·i·tiz·ing
verb
  1. To rid of microorganisms by cleaning or disinfecting. She spent the afternoon sanitizing the kitchen counters after the party.
  2. To make something, such as a dramatic work, more acceptable by removing potentially offensive material. The editor is sanitizing the script to meet broadcast standards.
  3. To filter text to ensure it does not contain characters that could cause problems for the receiving system. Developers are sanitizing user input to prevent SQL injection attacks.
noun
  1. The process of removing microorganisms by cleaning or disinfecting. Regular sanitizing of surfaces is essential in a hospital.
  2. The act of removing offensive or objectionable material from a work. The sanitizing of the documentary raised concerns among historians.
  3. The practice of filtering input to avoid security vulnerabilities. Input sanitizing is a key step in secure web development.
Did you know? In computer security, 'sanitizing' refers to input sanitization, a crucial technique for preventing attacks such as SQL injection and cross‑site scripting.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 0 lookups Added Jul 30, 2026