solarize

verb

so·​lar·​ize ˈsō-lə-ˌrīz 

solarized; solarizing

transitive verb

1

a

: to affect by the action of the sun's rays

b

: to expose to sunlight

2

: to subject (photographic materials) to solarization

3

: to convert or adapt (a home, building, etc.) to the use of solar power (as for heat and electricity)

… providing tax breaks to residents who want to solarize their homes for efficiency and cost.

—Roddie Burns

Examples of solarize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a little time left to solarize grass and weeds. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023

Lawn be gone The sun is high in the sky, which makes this the best time to solarize. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2023

Prepare now to solarize later in summer. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 May 2021

Smother it with a 6-inch layer of woody mulch and/or solarize to superheat the soil, which kills the grass, weeds, soil pathogens and weed seeds. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022

Next, cover the affected ground with impermeable plastic to solarize the roots and deprive them of sun and water. —BostonGlobe.com, 14 Aug. 2022

This is the ideal time to solarize your lawn to kill the grass and all the seeds in the upper 6 inches. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2022

One is to turn off the water and solarize the lawn by covering it with black plastic. —Laura Daily, Washington Post, 29 June 2022

July is the best time of year to solarize your lawn. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined at sense 1a