Sanitize: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when removing germs or bacteria, usually to a level that is considered safe. Often used in contexts like healthcare, food preparation, or general cleaning.

• They sanitize the hospital rooms every day.
• Make sure to sanitize your hands before eating.

Use when you want to remove impurities, dirt, or toxins. Often used in skincare or holistic health contexts.

• She uses a special facial wash to cleanse her skin.
• The detox program is designed to cleanse your body.

Use when you want to kill almost all germs and bacteria, typically with chemicals. Often used in medical or highly sanitary environments.

• You should disinfect the wound to prevent infection.
• Hospitals use strong chemicals to disinfect surgical instruments.

Use when removing undesirable elements, often referring to water, air, or moral/ethical cleansing.

• We need to purify the water before drinking it.
• The air purifiers help purify the air in the house.

Use when talking about removing germs or making something hygienic, usually in a medical or food safety context.

• The nurses sanitize their hands before treating patients
• After preparing raw chicken, you should sanitize the countertop

Use in a general context when removing dirt, dust, or stains to make something visually or physically tidy.

• I need to clean my room before guests arrive
• She spent the morning cleaning the kitchen

Use when talking about cleaning something by rubbing it hard, usually to remove tough dirt or stains. Often used for more intensive cleaning tasks.

• I had to scrub the bathroom tiles to get rid of the grime
• She scrubbed the floor until it was spotless

Use when talking about editing or censoring information in a text, usually for security or privacy reasons.

• The sensitive information was redacted from the report
• We need to redact personal details before sharing this document