sterilize
verb (used with object)
to destroy microorganisms in or on, usually by bringing to a high temperature with steam, dry heat, or boiling liquid.
unsterilized
-
a word derived from
sterilize.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Fewer available surgeries mean more unsterilized cats, more kittens born outdoors and more animals entering shelters during a season when space, foster homes, staffing and veterinary capacity are already stretched,” Newkirk said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
As a result, Garfield’s treating physicians saw no problem with probing the president’s wound with unsterilized hands and tools.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
He and his colleagues, he recalled, soon determined that the infection was “spread by close contact with infected body fluids,” and that it had been propagated at a rural hospital that was using unsterilized needles.
From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2024
Personally, I’m wary of writing highly negative reviews unless I have had a truly bad experience, such as a tour guide who lacks basic familiarity with the area or a barber using unsterilized tools.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2019
On the day of Garfield's shooting, Drs. Townshend, Bliss, and Wales probed the president's bullet wound with unwashed fingers and unsterilized metal instruments.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
