sanitize

American  

[san-i-tahyz] / ˈsæn ɪˌtaɪz /

especially British, sanitise

verb (used with object)

• sanitizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sanitized,
  past participle,  past
• sanitizing
  present participle

1. to free from dirt, germs, etc., as by cleaning or sterilizing.

2. to make less offensive by eliminating anything unwholesome, objectionable, incriminating, etc..

   to sanitize a document before releasing it to the press.

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sanitize British  

/ ˈsænɪˌtaɪz /

verb

1. to make sanitary or hygienic, as by sterilizing

2. to omit unpleasant details from (a news report, document, etc) to make it more palatable to the recipients

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sanitization
  noun
• unsanitized
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• sanitizing
  present
• sanitized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sanitize
  simple
• sanitizes
  simple
• have sanitized
  perfect
• has sanitized
  perfect
• am sanitizing
  progressive
• are sanitizing
  progressive
• is sanitizing
  progressive
• have been sanitizing
  perfect progressive
• has been sanitizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sanitized
  simple
• had sanitized
  perfect
• was sanitizing
  progressive
• were sanitizing
  progressive
• had been sanitizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sanitize
  simple
• will have sanitized
  perfect
• will be sanitizing
  progressive
• will have been sanitizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sanitize

First recorded in 1830–40; sanit(ary) + -ize

Explanation

To sanitize something is to make it extremely clean. After watching you play with your slobbery dog, your fastidious friend might insist that you sanitize your hands before sitting down to dinner. When you clean or sterilize something, particularly for reasons of good health (like not spreading germs), you can say that you sanitize it. You can also use this verb in a figurative way, whenever you "clean" something: "She doesn't want to risk alienating her audience, so she sanitizes her speech to remove anything that might offend them." The Latin root is sanitas, "health."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sanitize sanitizes sanitized sanitizing

The company must also sanitize the freezer within seven days of clearing out remaining food waste.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

“I think it was a deliberate choice to penalize a journalist for refusing to sanitize accurate reporting,” Alfonsi told the New York Times of her firing.

From Salon ● Jun. 1, 2026

In the face of efforts to erase or sanitize the uncomfortable history of our country, confronting this past is more important than ever.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026

But Mr. Stern’s point is made: The effort to sanitize warfare doesn’t succeed, no matter how advanced the technology becomes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026

Isn’t that what you use to sanitize our toilets?

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray

“Using a smartphone application sanitizes things and makes it feel like it’s safe and unbiased,” said Ari Sawyer, a border researcher for Human Rights Watch.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2024

When it's time to clean surfaces, "Always have vinegar because it doesn't go bad. It also cleans and sanitizes surfaces if you don't have bleach," he said.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2022

Omitting the importation of European diseases sanitizes the sorry historical record.

From Washington Post ● May 20, 2022

It cleans its contaminated sewage with an anaerobic reactor that sanitizes by biological means.

From New York Times ● Dec. 21, 2021

She hired an assistant who sanitizes the tables, outdoor bathroom and shower, and backwashes the pool between events.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2021

These sanitized accounts ignored the homemade dangers, such as the health problems fostered by an overstretched military — realities many children would face when a changed parent finally came home.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

And in a world where sports rivalries are now commoditized, sanitized, and milked for every last ounce of monetizable content, the rarity of Argentina vs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Other presidents have also sometimes behaved contrary to democratic ideals, and national memorials often present a more sanitized version of American history.

From Slate ● May 18, 2026

The county health services inspection report said that for the stand to reopen, rodent activity must be eliminated and equipment surfaces, food containers, shelves and floors must be cleaned and sanitized.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026

‘I’m afraid you are a health hazard. You will have to be sanitized before we can proceed.’

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

Last week, OpenAI said its new Astra model was better at sanitizing its chain of thought, raising fears that future AI models could reason in ways opaque to humans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

Although called out for sanitizing the queer, vocally gifted musician’s private — and not-so-private — life, the movie was nominated for five Oscars, including best picture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2025

Years ago, Douthat might have been accused of sanitizing the figures who appear on his podcast or of providing intellectual cover to the legitimately unhinged.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2025

“This comes in the form of communications and branding standards. Is that going to be the next frontier in sanitizing the realities of our differences? ”

From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024

The puff of cold sanitizing air made Coal shiver, and his skin wavered into view, then became transparent again.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Related Words

• decontaminate
• disinfect