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⇱ neutralize - WordReference.com Dictionary of English


neutralize

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈnjuːtrəlaɪz/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈnutrəˌlaɪz, ˈnju-/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(no̅o̅trə līz′, nyo̅o̅-)


Inflections of 'neutralize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
neutralizes
v 3rd person singular (US & UK)
neutralizing
v pres p (US & UK)
neutralized
v past (US & UK)
neutralized
v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
neu•tral•ize /ˈnutrəˌlaɪz, ˈnyu-/USA pronunciation   v. [+ object], -ized, -iz•ing. 
  1. to make neutral.
  2. to make (something) have no or little effect; counteract;
    nullify:His campaign team tried to neutralize the bad effects of the debate.
neu•tral•i•za•tion /ˌnutrəlɪˈzeɪʃən, ˌnyʊ-/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]
neu•tral•iz•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
neu•tral•ize  (no̅o̅trə līz′, nyo̅o̅-),USA pronunciation v., -ized, -iz•ing. 
v.t. 
  1. to make neutral;
    cause to undergo neutralization.
  2. to make (something) ineffective;
    counteract;
    nullify:carelessness that neutralized our efforts.
  3. Militaryto put out of action or make incapable of action:to neutralize an enemy position.
  4. Governmentto declare neutral;
    invest with neutrality in order to exempt from involvement during a war:to neutralize a city to prevent bombing.
  5. Chemistryto add an acid to a basic solution or a base to an acidic solution until the resulting solution is chemically neutral (pH = 7).
  6. Electricityto render electrically or magnetically neutral.

v.i. 
  1. to become neutral or neutralized;
    undergo neutralization:With this additive the solution begins to neutralize.
Also,[esp. Brit.,] neutral•ise′. 
  • neutral + -ize 1655–65
neutral•iz′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
neutralize, neutralise /ˈnjuːtrəˌlaɪz/ vb (mainly tr)
  1. (also intr) to render or become ineffective or neutral by counteracting, mixing, etc; nullify
  2. (also intr) to make or become electrically or chemically neutral
  3. to exclude (a country) from the sphere of warfare or alliances by international agreement: the great powers neutralized Belgium in the 19th century
ˌneutraliˈzation, ˌneutraliˈsation n ˈneutralˌizer, ˈneutralˌiser n
'neutralize' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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