neutralize
verbUK /ˈnjuːtɹəlaɪz/ · US /ˈnutɹəˌlaɪz/
Etymology From French neutraliser (first attested in 1642). By surface analysis, neutral + -ize.
1
To make (something) even, inactive or ineffective.
- The antidote neutralized the toxin.
- 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.2022 September 29, Carl Zimmer, “A New Approach to Spotting Tumors: Look for Their Microbes”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 01 Dec 2022:
2
To make (a territory, etc.) politically neutral.
- 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.1965, United States. Congress. Senate, Hearings, volume 1, page 77:
3
Chemistry, Natural sciences, Physical sciences To make (an acidic or alkaline substance) chemically neutral.
4
Government, Military, Politics, War Euphemistic To kill.
- At the beginning of the opening game, Shepard becomes the first human Spectre, an elite operative given broad authority to neutralize threats to galactic order in the galaxy.2019, “Mass Effect (Trilogy)”, in Michael M. Levy, Farah Mendlesohn, editors, Aliens in Popular Culture, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 175:
- “We managed to neutralise the guilty person. So there was no longer any imminent threat,” De Croo said, […]2023 October 17, Lisa O'Carroll, Miranda Bryant, Lorenzo Tondo, quoting Alexander De Croo, “Killing of two Swedish football fans in Brussels ‘probably lone wolf’ attack”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 02 Dec 2023:
- Derived terms
- bioneutralize, deneutralize, electroneutralize, gender-neutralize, immunoneutralize, immunoneutralized, neutralizable, neutralization, neutralizer, nonneutralizing, overneutralize, preneutralize, reneutralize, seroneutralize, seroneutralizing, subneutralizing, underneutralize, unneutralized