disinfect
Americanverb (used with object)
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disinfects,
present (3rd person singular)
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disinfected,
past participle, past
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disinfecting
present participle
verb
Usage
What does disinfect mean? Disinfect means to clean something of infection by killing or preventing the growth of disease-causing germs, as in You want to disinfect your countertop after having raw meat on it to kill harmful bacteria like E. coli. Disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses (often referred to as germs) can live on surfaces or enter into open wounds. When you disinfect something, you are either directly killing the germs or making it harder for the germs to spread or survive. The noun disinfection refers to the act of disinfecting, as in The contaminated clothing was marked for disinfection. A chemical that is used to disinfect something is referred to as a disinfectant. Bleach is commonly used as a disinfectant in households. Example: The janitor disinfected the table using a cleaning chemical designed to kill germs.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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disinfectionnoun
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disinfectornoun
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redisinfectverb (used with object)
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disinfectiveadjective
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undisinfectedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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disinfectsimple
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disinfectssimple
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have disinfectedperfect
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has disinfectedperfect
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am disinfectingprogressive
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are disinfectingprogressive
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is disinfectingprogressive
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have been disinfectingperfect progressive
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has been disinfectingperfect progressive
Past
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disinfectedsimple
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had disinfectedperfect
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was disinfectingprogressive
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were disinfectingprogressive
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had been disinfectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of disinfect
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French desinfecter, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + infecter “to die, taint, poison”; see infect
Explanation
To disinfect something is to clean it so thoroughly that you kill any bacteria that might have been living on it. It's particularly important to disinfect cuts and scratches. You can disinfect your kitchen counters with cleaning products, or disinfect a scrape by washing it with soap and water. Public swimming pools have chlorine added to their water to disinfect them, and bleach is a good all-purpose chemical used to disinfect floors, laundry, and other things that might be harboring nasty bugs. Infect comes from a Latin root word, inficere, "to spoil or stain." Adding the prefix dis-, "do the opposite of," gives you disinfect.
Vocabulary lists containing disinfect
Because of Mr. Terupt
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Microbiology - High School
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Pictures of Hollis Wood
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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:
You never know when you might need to patch up a cut, disinfect a wound, or even help an injured traveler on the side of the road.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
If you find evidence of mice, wear personal protective equipment and disinfect the area.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
Greater transparency and clarity are urgently needed to disinfect the greenwashing fraud of many ESG initiatives.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026
At a nearby table, other students carefully dismantle warped albums or disinfect and clean faded photographs, which are then hung to dry.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025
I try to avoid public restrooms except in emergencies, but if I do need to go, I disinfect the toilet seat.
From "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" by Stacy McAnulty
Lewis also notes that hydrogen peroxide “eliminates urine odors and disinfects the base of toilets and around the bowl.”
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 16, 2024
Young kids are often eye-level with items on counters and under kitchen and bathroom sinks, so keep cleaning supplies, disinfects and hand sanitizers where children can’t reach them or see them.
From Fox News ● Sep. 16, 2021
A worker disinfects a work bench with a bleach mixture at the end of a shift at Green Circuits during the COVID-19 outbreak in San Jose, California, U.S.,
From Reuters ● May 21, 2021
When they stand up, someone immediately disinfects the seat and touch-screen pad with bleach wipes.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 9, 2021
As the ozone is developed, it disinfects the surrounding air without producing cough.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 717, September 28, 1889 by Various
Each boat considered at risk is disinfected by teams who wear whole face masks and boots.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Oceanwide’s Hondius will be cleaned and disinfected in the Netherlands, with crew and staff quarantining, but the company hasn’t planned future sailing cancellations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
Passengers are being asked to remain in their cabins while the ship is disinfected and personal protective equipment is handed out.
From MarketWatch ● May 5, 2026
Bowls, toys, refrigerators, countertops and other pet products that came into contact with the food should also be thoroughly disinfected.
From Salon ● Sep. 26, 2024
His leg was throbbing and he pulled away the dressing and disinfected the wound and looked at it.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
The advert has sparked heated discussions across Chinese social media platforms over the last few days, with many people angered by its attempts to compare a person's "purity" with the disinfecting abilities of Dettol products.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
The MV Hondius, the ship where the outbreak occurred, will undergo cleaning and disinfecting after it arrives in the Netherlands Monday, the company said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 17, 2026
If the contaminated food product came into contact with your fridge or counter tops, the FDA recommends cleaning and disinfecting those areas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025
Officials recommended biosecurity measures such as disinfecting equipment and limiting visitors.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
Into each Sunbeam frying pan they dropped a handful of disinfecting crystals.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
