sterilize JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/ˈstɛrɪlaɪz/ · ster·i·lize
verb
- To deprive of the ability to procreate. The disease sterilized the entire population of the island.
verb
- To make unable to produce; to make unprofitable. The economic downturn sterilized the company's profits for the year.
verb
- To kill, deactivate (denature), or destroy (break apart) all living, viable microorganisms and spores on a surface, in a fluid, or contained in a compound, such as culture media or a medical product. The hospital staff sterilized the equipment before each use.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? The word 'sterilize' is often used in medical and scientific contexts to describe the process of eliminating microorganisms, but it can also be used in more figurative senses, such as making something unproductive or barren.