Adjacent Words

Neutralize definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

NEUTRALIZE, v.t.
1. To render neutral; to reduce to a state of indifference between different parties or opinions.
2. In chimistry, to destroy or render inert or imperceptible the peculiar properties of a body by combining it with a different substance. Thus to neutralize acids and alkalies, is to combine them in such proportions that the compound will no exhibit the qualities of either. This is called a neutral salt.
3. To destroy the peculiar properties or opposite dispositions of parties or other things, or reduce them to a state of indifference or inactivity; as, to neutralize parties in government; to neutralize opposition.
The benefits of universities- neutralized by moral evils.
A cloud of counter citations that neutralize each other.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: make politically neutral and thus inoffensive; "The treaty neutralized the small republic"
2: make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of; "Her optimism neutralizes his gloom"; "This action will negate the effect of my efforts" [syn: neutralize, neutralise, nullify, negate]
3: oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions; "This will counteract the foolish actions of my colleagues" [syn: counteract, countervail, neutralize, counterbalance]
4: get rid of (someone who may be a threat) by killing; "The mafia liquidated the informer"; "the double agent was neutralized" [syn: neutralize, neutralise, liquidate, waste, knock off, do in]
5: make incapable of military action [syn: neutralize, neutralise]
6: make chemically neutral; "She neutralized the solution" [syn: neutralize, neutralise]

Merriam Webster's

verb (-ized; -izing) Date: 1759 transitive verb 1. to make chemically neutral 2. a. to counteract the activity or effect of ; make ineffective <propaganda that is difficult to neutralize> b. kill, destroy 3. to make electrically inert by combining equal positive and negative quantities 4. to invest (as a territory or a nation) with conventional or obligatory neutrality conferring inviolability during a war 5. to make neutral by blending with the complementary color 6. to give (as a pair of phonemes) a nondistinctive form or pronunciation <t and d are neutralized when pronounced as flaps> intransitive verb to undergo neutralization • neutralizer noun

U.S. Military Dictionary

1. As pertains to military operations, to render ineffective or unusable. 2. To render enemy personnel or material incapable of interfering with a particular operation. 3. To render safe mines, bombs, missiles, and booby traps. 4. To make harmless anything contaminated with a chemical agent.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. (also -ise) 1 make neutral. 2 counterbalance; render ineffective by an opposite force or effect. 3 exempt or exclude (a place) from the sphere of hostilities. Derivatives: neutralization n. neutralizer n. Etymology: F neutraliser f. med.L neutralizare (as NEUTRAL)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Neutralize Neu"tral*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Neutralized; p. pr. & vb. n. Neutralizing.] [Cf. F. neutraliser.] 1. To render neutral; to reduce to a state of neutrality. So here I am neutralized again. --Sir W. Scott. 2. (Chem.) To render inert or imperceptible the peculiar affinities of, as a chemical substance; to destroy the effect of; as, to neutralize an acid with a base. 3. To destroy the peculiar or opposite dispositions of; to reduce to a state of indifference inefficience; to counteract; as, to neutralize parties in government; to neutralize efforts, opposition, etc. Counter citations that neutralize each other. --E. Everett.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(neutralizes, neutralizing, neutralized) Note: in BRIT, also use 'neutralise' 1. To neutralize something means to prevent it from having any effect or from working properly. The US is trying to neutralize the resolution in the UN Security Council... The intruder smashed a window to get in and then neutralized the alarm system. VERB: V n, V n • neutralization ...the sale or neutralization of the suspected nuclear site. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n 2. When a chemical substance neutralizes an acid, it makes it less acid. Antacids are alkaline and they relieve pain by neutralizing acid in the contents of the stomach. VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Counterbalance, counterpoise, render neutral, render inert, destroy the effect of, render of no effect. 2. Invalidate, render inoperative.

Moby Thesaurus

abrogate, absorb the shock, annul, balance, break the fall, bring to nothing, buffer, cancel, cancel out, come to nothing, compensate, compensate for, conquer, counteract, counterbalance, countercheck, counterpoise, countervail, cushion, damp, dampen, deaden, defeat, delete, equalize, even, frustrate, invalidate, make up for, negate, negativate, negative, nullify, offset, overcome, override, overrule, redress, show consideration, show mercy, show pity, soften, soften the blow, square, stultify, subdue, suppress, thwart, undo, vitiate, void