What does "sterilization" mean?
The process of treating something to kill or inactivate microorganisms.
Sterilization
noun
noun ·5 syllables ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The process of treating something to kill or inactivate microorganisms.
- Grammar: sterilization is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: asepsis, castrations, decontamination, disinfecting.
- Useful contrasts: contaminating, contamination, culturing.
- Usage evidence: Forced sterilization is a crime against humanity.
How to use "sterilization"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sterilization" 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 "sterilization" 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 "sterilization" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sterilization" 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 "sterilization" is acting as noun 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 "asepsis" 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 "sterilization", 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
Noun
- 1 The process of treating something to kill or inactivate microorganisms. British, English, Oxford, US, uncountable
"Heat sterilization is used during canning so the food can be safely stored for long periods."
- 2 the procedure of making some object free of live bacteria or other microorganisms (usually by heat or chemical means) wordnet
- 3 A procedure to permanently prevent an organism from reproducing. British, English, Oxford, US, uncountable
"Spaying a cat is a form of sterilization to limit the population growth."
- 4 the act of making an organism barren or infertile (unable to reproduce) wordnet
- 5 An instance of a sterilization procedure. British, English, Oxford, US, countable
"The vet performed several sterilizations this week."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A monetary policy operation used to offset a foreign exchange intervention. British, English, Oxford, US, uncountable
"The Federal Reserve is responsible for foreign exchange sterilization."
- 7 The process of permanently rendering a planet like Earth completely uninhabitable to all life, including even microbes, leading to their complete extinction. British, English, Oxford, US, uncountable
"In about 1 billion years, the increasing heat from the Sun as it gradually ages, by triggering a runaway greenhouse effect that will boil away the oceans, will lead to the complete sterilization of all life on Earth."
Example
"Forced sterilization is a crime against humanity."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sterilization"?
Common synonyms include: asepsis, castrations, decontamination, disinfecting, disinfection, emasculation.
How do you use "sterilization" in a sentence?
Forced sterilization is a crime against humanity.
Etymology
From sterile + -ization or sterilize + -ation.