detoxify

American

[dee-tok-suh-fahy] / diˈtɒk sə faɪ /

verb (used with object)

detoxified, detoxifying

to rid of poison or the effect of poison.
to treat (a person addicted to alcohol or drugs) in a detox program.

verb (used without object)

detoxified, detoxifying

to undergo detox or metabolic detoxification.

detoxify British

/ diːˈtɒksɪˌfaɪ /

verb

to remove poison from; detoxicate
to treat (a person) for alcoholism or drug addiction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

detoxification noun

Etymology

Origin of detoxify

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

Vocabulary lists containing detoxify

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: de-

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But he returned to the Conservative fold in 2005 to try to detoxify the Tory brand.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026

Silver, for her part, argues that Meghan may be hoping to "detoxify" her brand with the new show.

From BBC • Jan. 4, 2025

"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

We continue to detoxify him bit by bit.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023