neutralize

American  

[noo-truh-lahyz, nyoo-] / ˈnu trəˌlaɪz, ˈnyu- /

especially British, neutralise

verb (used with object)

neutralized, neutralizing

1. to make neutral; cause to undergo neutralization.

2. to make (something) ineffective; counteract; nullify.

   carelessness that neutralized our efforts.

3. Military. to put out of action or make incapable of action.

   to neutralize an enemy position.

4. to declare neutral; invest with neutrality in order to exempt from involvement during a war.

   to neutralize a city to prevent bombing.

5. to add an acid to a basic solution or a base to an acidic solution until the resulting solution is chemically neutral (pH = 7).

6. Electricity. to render electrically or magnetically neutral.

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verb (used without object)

neutralized, neutralizing

1. to become neutral or neutralized; undergo neutralization.

   With this additive the solution begins to neutralize.

neutralize British  

/ ˈnjuːtrəˌlaɪz /

verb

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

4. to render (an army) incapable of further military action

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neutralize Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′trə-līz′ /

1. To cause an acidic solution to become neutral by adding a base to it or to cause a basic solution to become neutral by adding an acid to it. Salt and water are usually formed in the process.

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Other Word Forms

• neutralization noun
• neutralizer noun
• overneutralize verb (used with object)
• overneutralizer noun
• reneutralize verb
• unneutralize verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of neutralize

First recorded in 1655–65; neutral + -ize

Explanation

When you neutralize something, you make it harmless or ineffective — usually by applying its opposite force, like pouring water on a fire. The world neutral was first used to describe a country that doesn’t take sides in a war, like Switzerland. There’s something kind of noble about a country that doesn’t participate in war by choice, but when we say something has been neutralized — that usually means that its power has been taken away from the outside.

Example Sentences

Intelectin-2 can also neutralize or eliminate pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are often difficult to treat with antibiotics.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

Air defense is meant to buy time for offensive operations that neutralize enemy launch capabilities, said Colby Badhwar, a Canadian security analyst.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Researchers may also be able to design therapies that block or neutralize these circulating extracellular vesicles, reducing their damaging effects on the heart.

From Science Daily • Jan. 20, 2026

The new terms neutralize one of Paramount’s primary criticisms: that the stock portion of the Netflix offer makes its bid inferior.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026

We could establish a defensible perimeter, build a new airfield, then gradually work our way out to neutralize the whole island.

From "Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two" by Joseph Bruchac

Related Words

• compensate for
• counterbalance
• negate
• nullify
• offset
• overcome
• redress
• subdue