What does "denature" mean?
To take away a natural characteristic or inherent property of (a thing or a person).
Denature
verb
verb ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To take away a natural characteristic or inherent property of (a thing or a person).
- Grammar: denature is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: accommodate, adapt, adjust, adulterate.
- Useful contrasts: duplexes, maintain, preserve.
- Usage evidence: While you cannot drink denatured alcohol, you can still use it to remove sticker glue from most surfaces.
How to use "denature"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "denature" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "denature" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "denature" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "denature" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "denature" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accommodate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "denature", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To take away a natural characteristic or inherent property of (a thing or a person). transitive
- 2 make (alcohol) unfit for drinking without impairing usefulness for other purposes wordnet
- 3 To add something to (alcohol) that makes it unsuitable for consumption but leaves it suitable for most other purposes. transitive
"While you cannot drink denatured alcohol, you can still use it to remove sticker glue from most surfaces."
- 4 modify (as a native protein) especially by heat, acid, alkali, or ultraviolet radiation so that all of the original properties are removed or diminished wordnet
- 5 To alter its original form or state, especially of a protein, by heat, acidity etc. intransitive, transitive
"Sugars are wonderfully robust materials! Unlike proteins that easily denature and coagulate, unlike fats that are damaged by air and heat and go rancid, unlike starch chains that break apart into smaller chains of glucose molecules, sugars themselves are small and stable molecules."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 add nonfissionable material to (fissionable material) so as to make unsuitable for use in an atomic bomb wordnet
- 7 Of double-stranded DNA, specifically to split into two single strands. intransitive, transitive
- 8 To combine fissile material with nonfissile material in order to prevent its use in an atomic weapon.
Antonyms
Example
"While you cannot drink denatured alcohol, you can still use it to remove sticker glue from most surfaces."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "denature"?
Common synonyms include: accommodate, adapt, adjust, adulterate, alloy, alter.
How do you use "denature" in a sentence?
While you cannot drink denatured alcohol, you can still use it to remove sticker glue from most surfaces.
Etymology
From French dénaturer.