inactivate

verb

in·​ac·​ti·​vate (ˌ)i-ˈnak-tə-ˌvāt 

inactivated; inactivating; inactivates

transitive verb

: to make inactive

chemicals to inactivate viruses

inactivation

(ˌ)i-ˌnak-tə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

Examples of inactivate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This treatment has been shown to inactivate 106 cfu/g of E. coli O157:H7, Listeria spp., Salmonella spp., or Staphylococcus spp. —Aron Solomon, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024

When bird flu first showed up in dairy cows, the CDC and FDA assured the public that the virus was inactivated by pasteurization, rendering conventional milk safe (albeit full of harmless virus particles). —Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 5 Dec. 2024

Both agencies also say that pasteurization, or heating milk, inactivates the virus. —Alice Park, TIME, 14 June 2024

Officials say that pasteurization inactivates the virus. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

inactivate

verb

in·​ac·​ti·​vate (ˈ)in-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt 

: to make inactive

inactivation

(ˌ)in-ˌak-tə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

inactivate

transitive verb

in·​ac·​ti·​vate (ˈ)in-ˈak-tə-ˌvāt 

inactivated; inactivating

: to make inactive: as

a

: to destroy certain biological activities of

inactivate the complement of normal serum by heat

b

: to cause (as an infectious agent) to lose disease-producing capacity

inactivate bacteria

inactivation

(ˌ)in-ˌak-tə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

inactivator

-ˌvāt-ər 

noun