neutralize

[ noo-truh-lahyz, nyoo- ]

/ ˈnu trəˌlaɪz, ˈnyu- /

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See synonyms for: neutralize / neutralized / neutralizing / neutralizer on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), neu·tral·ized, neu·tral·iz·ing.

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), neu·tral·ized, neu·tral·iz·ing.

to become neutral or neutralized; undergo neutralization: With this additive the solution begins to neutralize.

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Also especially British, neu·tral·ise .

Origin of neutralize

First recorded in 1655–65; neutral + -ize

OTHER WORDS FROM neutralize

neu·tral·iz·er, nouno·ver·neu·tral·ize, verb (used with object), o·ver·neu·tral·ized, o·ver·neu·tral·iz·ing.o·ver·neu·tral·iz·er, nounre·neu·tral·ize, verb, re·neu·tral·ized, re·neu·tral·iz·ing.

un·neu·tral·ize, verb (used with object), un·neu·tral·ized, un·neu·tral·iz·ing.

Words nearby neutralize

neutral ground, neutralism, neutralist, neutrality, neutralization, neutralize, neutral monism, neutral spirits, neutral zone, neutretto, neutrino

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use neutralize in a sentence

Google’s John Mueller said the company prefers to neutralize the search spam versus penalize it.
Is Google moving toward being search marketing’s point of singularity: Thursday’s daily brief|Carolyn Lyden|February 11, 2021|Search Engine Land
So now when my wife, Cathy, notices me eating either soup or cereal using a plain spoon, she will know it’s time to neutralize that grinning clone across the table.
In the fight against evil clones, food may be our greatest weapon|John Kelly|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Testing these samples against the live mutant virus from South Africa would confirm that the antibodies formed do indeed neutralize it.
Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Works Against the New Mutant Strains. Is That Enough?|Alice Park|January 26, 2021|Time
With Donald completely neutralized and Jalen Ramsey preoccupied with Adams, the Rams’ defense was nowhere near as imposing as it needed to be.
How The Chiefs Survived, The Packers Thrived And The Bills And Bucs Stayed Alive|Sara Ziegler (sara.ziegler@fivethirtyeight.com)|January 18, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

Another possible explanation is that a person may fail to generate enough neutralizing antibodies—those that bind to the virus and successfully prevent it from infecting host cells.
Already had COVID-19? You still need a vaccine.|Kate Baggaley|January 15, 2021|Popular-Science
The serum failed to neutralize the virus in subsequent tests and seemed to offer little protection in animal experiments.
Infected Ebola Doctor Kent Brantly Is an Endangered Hero|Michael Daly|August 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is fair to assume that the IDF would move immediately to neutralize the threat.
Israel’s Balancing Act in Sinai|Yaakov Lappin|August 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The letter that Indian M.P.s wrote was an effort to exert counter-pressure and neutralize that campaign.
Should Hindu Nationalist Narendra Modi Be Allowed a U.S. Visa?|Shikha Dalmia|July 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Unless we neutralize the air assets with the no-fly zone, this bleeding will continue.
Free Syrian Army Gen. Salem Idris Yet to Hear From D.C. About Promised ‘Military Support’|Josh Rogin|June 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He posed a challenge for the church: he was too revered not to claim, too radical not to neutralize.
Who Is Pope Francis? Six Best Reads on Jorge Mario Bergoglio|The Daily Beast|March 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If we tried it this close, we'd just be trying to neutralize the sun's gravity.
Islands of Space|John W Campbell
If the colors used are a certain red and a certain green, they neutralize each other and produce only gray.
The Science of Human Nature|William Henry Pyle
Germany must fight, not merely to defeat the British fleet of to-day, but to neutralize the British fleet of to-morrow.
The Crime Against Europe|Roger Casement
We can only determine by actual experiments what amount added to the air will serve to neutralize the poison.
The Poison Belt|Arthur Conan Doyle
Add a very little water to the residue and neutralize the extract with calcium carbonate.
Detection of the Common Food Adulterants|Edwin M. Bruce

British Dictionary definitions for neutralize

neutralize

neutralise

/ (ˈnjuːtrəˌlaɪz) /

verb (mainly tr)

(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 agreementthe great powers neutralized Belgium in the 19th century

to render (an army) incapable of further military action

Derived forms of neutralize

neutralization or neutralisation, nounneutralizer or neutraliser, noun

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

Scientific definitions for neutralize

neutralize

[ nōō′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.

neutralize

Origin of neutralize

OTHER WORDS FROM neutralize

Words nearby neutralize

Words related to neutralize

How to use neutralize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for neutralize

neutralise

Derived forms of neutralize

Scientific definitions for neutralize