chlorinate

American  

[klawr-uh-neyt, klohr-] / ˈklɔr əˌneɪt, ˈkloʊr- /

verb (used with object)

chlorinated, chlorinating

1. Chemistry.

   1. to combine or treat with chlorine.

   2. to introduce chlorine atoms into an organic compound by an addition or substitution reaction.

2. to disinfect (water) by means of chlorine.

3. Metallurgy. to treat (a gold ore) with chlorine gas in order that the gold may be removed as a soluble chloride.

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chlorinate British  

/ ˈklɔːrɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. to combine or treat (a substance) with chlorine

2. to disinfect (water) with chlorine

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chlorinate Scientific  

/ klôr′ə-nāt′ /

1. To add chlorine or one of its compounds to a substance. Water and sewage are chlorinated to be disinfected, and paper pulp is chlorinated to be bleached.

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Other Word Forms

• chlorination
  noun
• chlorinator
  noun
• hyperchlorination
  noun
• postchlorination
  adjective
• unchlorinated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chlorinate

First recorded in 1855–60; chlorine + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chlorinate chlorinated chlorinating

Namphy and his government colleagues raced to chlorinate water arriving in the camps.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 16, 2020

We chlorinate our water, so what’s the problem with using chlorine washes to make chicken safe?

From The Guardian ● Sep. 10, 2019

Residents now chlorinate it, boil it or filter it through rugs.

From New York Times ● Dec. 13, 2014

That move comes after actors in chicken outfits in one French protest troupe — dubbed the "chicken brigade" — tried to "chlorinate themselves" in a public pool.

From Chicago Tribune ● Dec. 5, 2014

Worcester is also proposing to chlorinate the supply to maintain the purity of the water without extending the slow sand filtration plant.

From Chlorination of Water by Joseph Race

And note that people with diarrhea should not go to water parks or swimming pools: The parasite that causes cyclosporiasis can survive in chlorinated water, according to Egan.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

After further investigation, those patterns were linked to chlorinated paraffins associated with MCCPs.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 11, 2026

According to the British agricultural press, more than 150,000 Brits have since signed petitions urging their supermarket chains to “publicly rule out chlorinated chicken.”

From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2026

When contacted by AFP, Migros, Switzerland's largest supermarket chain, said it "has no plans to stock chlorinated or chemically treated chicken on its shelves" as those birds did not meet Swiss "consumer expectations".

From Barron's ● Nov. 19, 2025

Both major types of insecticides, the chlorinated hydrocarbons and the organic phosphates, directly affect the nervous system, although in somewhat different ways.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Occidental’s petrochemical division, OxyChem, manufactures and sells chemicals for use in applications including chlorinating water, recycling batteries and producing paper.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2025

Park officials are collecting more sampling to figure out the source of the bacteria and are also chlorinating water in the area again.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2023

Some ideas include chlorinating or flushing out the material, Pestrella said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2021

He says with the rainy season under way, the government has in recent weeks taken steps to prevent a cholera outbreak by chlorinating wells in Monrovia.

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2014

For this reason the best results will be obtained by chlorinating at the entrance to reservoirs or under other conditions that will ensure several hours contact.

From Chlorination of Water by Joseph Race