defang

American

[dee-fang] / diˈfæŋ /

verb (used with object)

to remove the fangs of.

to defang a snake.
to cause to become less powerful or threatening; render harmless.

Etymology

Origin of defang

First recorded in 1950–55; de- + fang ¹

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.

At this edition, the Americans functionally defanged a notoriously difficult course.

From The Wall Street Journal

But “F1” is not merely safe, it’s been defanged and neutered — it doesn’t even bark!

From Salon

Digital rights campaigners, Foxglove, said it showed the CMA had been "defanged."

From BBC

The asps — not snakes, she quickly corrects — are allegedly defanged and thus safe for her latest showcase.

From Salon

The researchers also synthesized a "defanged" version of the compound called 11beta-dipropyl, which does not include any direct DNA-damaging ability and could potentially be safer for use in humans.

From Science Daily

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