neutralize

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. verb make politically neutral and thus inoffensive
  2. verb make ineffective by counterbalancing the effect of
  3. verb oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions

Etymology

From French neutraliser (first attested in 1642). By surface analysis, neutral + -ize.

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