neutralize

CEFRB1

/ˈnjuːtɹəlaɪz/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To make something harmless or ineffective.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To make (a territory, etc.) politically neutral.

Examples

  • Flavio can try using antibiotics to neutralize the bacteria.

  • The antidote neutralized the toxin.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
4
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈnutɹəˌlaɪz/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To make (an acidic or alkaline substance) chemically neutral.

  2. To make (something) even, inactive or ineffective.

  3. To kill.

More examples

In context

  • All the powers involved are committed not only to stay out of a given territory, but also to reenter it if any one of them violates the independence of the neutralized country.

  • It’s possible that some microbes don’t just take up residence in tumors but help them grow. They may cloak the tumor from the immune system, neutralize drugs or help tumors spread through the body.

  • “We managed to neutralise the guilty person. So there was no longer any imminent threat,” De Croo said, […]

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

To make an acid harmless by adding a base is to blank it.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From French neutraliser (first attested in 1642). By surface analysis, neutral + -ize.