neutralize

American  

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

especially British, neutralise

verb (used with object)

neutralized, neutralizing

1. to make neutral; cause to undergo neutralization.

2. to make (something) ineffective; counteract; nullify.

   carelessness that neutralized our efforts.

3. Military. to put out of action or make incapable of action.

   to neutralize an enemy position.

4. to declare neutral; invest with neutrality in order to exempt from involvement during a war.

   to neutralize a city to prevent bombing.

5. to add an acid to a basic solution or a base to an acidic solution until the resulting solution is chemically neutral (pH = 7).

6. Electricity. to render electrically or magnetically neutral.

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verb (used without object)

neutralized, neutralizing

1. to become neutral or neutralized; undergo neutralization.

   With this additive the solution begins to neutralize.

neutralize British  

/ ˈnjuːtrəˌlaɪz /

verb

1. (also intr) to render or become ineffective or neutral by counteracting, mixing, etc; nullify

2. (also intr) to make or become electrically or chemically neutral

3. to exclude (a country) from the sphere of warfare or alliances by international agreement

   the great powers neutralized Belgium in the 19th century

4. to render (an army) incapable of further military action

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neutralize Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′trə-līz′ /

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• neutralization noun
• neutralizer noun
• overneutralize verb (used with object)
• overneutralizer noun
• reneutralize verb
• unneutralize verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of neutralize

First recorded in 1655–65; neutral + -ize

Example Sentences

Followers of the 200-day moving average could buy and sell easily — effectively neutralizing the strategy.

From MarketWatch

Just to be sure, though, the soldiers cracked two raw chicken eggs on his head and smeared the contents over his body, a traditional method for neutralizing the supernatural.

From The Wall Street Journal

Now, America’s military has to neutralize the drone threat.

From Barron's

Air defense is meant to buy time for offensive operations that neutralize enemy launch capabilities, said Colby Badhwar, a Canadian security analyst.

From The Wall Street Journal

"It depends on how effective the US and Israel will be in neutralizing Iran's launch capability of missiles and drones," he said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• compensate for
• counterbalance
• negate
• nullify
• offset
• overcome
• redress
• subdue