Synonyms

neutralize

American

[noo-truh-lahyz, nyoo-] / ˈnu trəˌlaɪz, ˈnju- /

especially British, neutralise

verb (used with object)

to make neutral; cause to undergo neutralization.
to make (something) ineffective; counteract; nullify.

carelessness that neutralized our efforts.
Military. to put out of action or make incapable of action.

to neutralize an enemy position.
to declare neutral; invest with neutrality in order to exempt from involvement during a war.

to neutralize a city to prevent bombing.
to add an acid to a basic solution or a base to an acidic solution until the resulting solution is chemically neutral (pH = 7).
Electricity. to render electrically or magnetically neutral.

verb (used without object)

to become neutral or neutralized; undergo neutralization.

With this additive the solution begins to neutralize.

neutralize British

/ ˈnjuːtrəˌlaɪz /

verb

(also intr) to render or become ineffective or neutral by counteracting, mixing, etc; nullify
(also intr) to make or become electrically or chemically neutral
to exclude (a country) from the sphere of warfare or alliances by international agreement

the great powers neutralized Belgium in the 19th century
to render (an army) incapable of further military action

"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

neutralize Scientific

/ no̅o̅′trə-līz′ /

To cause an acidic solution to become neutral by adding a base to it or to cause a basic solution to become neutral by adding an acid to it. Salt and water are usually formed in the process.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of neutralize

First recorded in 1655–65; neutral + -ize

Explanation

When you neutralize something, you make it harmless or ineffective — usually by applying its opposite force, like pouring water on a fire. The world neutral was first used to describe a country that doesn’t take sides in a war, like Switzerland. There’s something kind of noble about a country that doesn’t participate in war by choice, but when we say something has been neutralized — that usually means that its power has been taken away from the outside.

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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.

See Examples For:

neutralize neutralizes neutralized neutralizing

His presence also helped neutralize a Broncos pass rush that led the NFL in sacks in each of the past two seasons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

The team is now testing whether a fast-dissolving mineral called olivine could be used to neutralize the acidic runoff without releasing carbon, potentially cutting emissions drastically.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

He added the agreement allows Israel freedom of action to neutralize what it deems as immediate or even emerging threats.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

Among all the varieties tested, kombuchas prepared from green tea and oolong tea demonstrated the strongest antioxidant activity and the greatest capacity to neutralize free radicals.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

She tied pretty red yarn around its tail to neutralize the bad luck.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

But building alternatives neutralizes the strait as a weapon, said Robin Mills, chief executive of Dubai-based consulting firm Qamar Energy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Rehydrating the body using alkaline salt neutralizes the acid from alcohol and dehydration; however, this product would benefit from a better balance of all electrolytes, not just high amounts of sodium.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2024

This underscores the lasting efficacy of the treatment, where the immune response remains vigilant and effectively neutralizes any renewed cancer threats.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 4, 2024

The alliance neutralizes the otherwise fierce competition between American and JetBlue in Boston and New York, the government argued in the brief this month.

From New York Times ● Sep. 27, 2022

"A treat for your feet. Made from all natural ingredients, it neutralizes odor-causing fungi and bacteria. Plus, you'll like the tingle."

From "Holes" by Louis Sachar

What are rising mortgage rates and utility bills when you’ve been neutralized by some bioweapon engineered by a collective of scheming AI agents, recursively self-improving their way to planetary domination?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

The mixtures completely neutralized the lethal effects of rattlesnake venom and also provided broad protection against venom from multiple viper species, including species separated by millions of years of evolution.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026

As the World Cup hits the halfway mark, more than 1,000 drones have been detected near stadiums and over 300 of them neutralized by authorities, the White House's tournament czar said Monday.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

Ayton’s backup Jaxson Hayes was also neutralized in Saturday’s blowout, not returning to the game after just eight minutes and 30 seconds of mostly ineffective play.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

There was also the problem of what neutralized the negative charges of the phosphate groups of the DNA backbone.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson

Broadly neutralizing antibodies and leronlimab, meanwhile, are each being evaluated separately in clinical trials.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026

Southern California air regulators Thursday adopted a slate of new requirements aimed at neutralizing the rancid odors from the fire-damaged Lineage warehouse that still contains millions of pounds of rotting food.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The UN Security Council last year gave its approval to a new international Gang Suppression Force tasked with neutralizing the groups.

From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026

To the Knicks, neutralizing Wembanyama comes down to one thing: not caring which of their shooters ends up with the ball in his hands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

He saw that they must be offset by some type of neutralizing particles, which he called neutrons.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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