sanitize

[ san-i-tahyz ]
See synonyms for: sanitizesanitized on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),san·i·tized, san·i·tiz·ing.
  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.

Origin of sanitize

1
First recorded in 1830–40; sanit(ary) + -ize
  • Also especially British, san·i·tise .

Other words from sanitize

  • san·i·ti·za·tion, noun
  • un·san·i·tized, adjective

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

How to use sanitize in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sanitize

sanitize

sanitise

/ (ˈsænɪˌtaɪz) /


verb(tr)
  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

Derived forms of sanitize

  • sanitization or sanitisation, 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