detoxify

American  

[dee-tok-suh-fahy] / diˈtɒk sə faɪ /

verb (used with object)

detoxified, detoxifying

1. to rid of poison or the effect of poison.

2. to treat (a person addicted to alcohol or drugs) in a detox program.

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verb (used without object)

detoxified, detoxifying

1. to undergo detox or metabolic detoxification.

detoxify British  

/ diːˈtɒksɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to remove poison from; detoxicate

2. to treat (a person) for alcoholism or drug addiction

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Other Word Forms

• detoxification noun

Etymology

Origin of detoxify

First recorded in 1900–05; detoxi(cate) + -fy

Example Sentences

"However, we found that the microbial communities within Spartina roots help to detoxify the sulfide, enhancing plant health and resilience."

From Science Daily • May 15, 2024

More perks: real plants can help detoxify the air inside.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 13, 2023

A recent Times investigation noted that many Eastside homes and gardens are still polluted despite a massive effort to detoxify the area.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2023

Once the nematode’s body absorbs it, the worm modifies it with enzymes, called cytochrome P450s, which in many organisms detoxify foreign molecules.

From Science Magazine • May 25, 2023

We continue to detoxify him bit by bit.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins