detoxify

[dee-tok-suh-fahy]

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.

verb (used without object)

detoxified, detoxifying 

1. to undergo detox or metabolic detoxification.

detoxify

/ diːˈtɒksɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to remove poison from; detoxicate

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

Other Word Forms

• detoxification noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of detoxify¹

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

Example Sentences

An inhalation room treated the respiratory system and asthma, and there were detoxifying baths using mud from the nearby springs.

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“The land itself needs time to detoxify, stabilize and rebuild healthy ecological systems before it can fully support people again.”

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Meanwhile, Bardella, like the RN in general, has been on a highly disciplined mission to detoxify the party's once overtly racist and antisemitic brand.

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“Noribogaine will help people who are recently detoxified from drugs or alcohol to transition to sobriety.”

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Similarly, betalains, the pigments responsible for rich reds and yellows, offer detoxifying and anti-inflammatory benefits but are excreted by the body without a visible effect on skin tone.

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