neutralise
neutralise — verb
1. to cancel out a force, threat, or advantage that something or someone has, so it
to cancel out a force, threat, or advantage that something or someone has, so it no longer changes the result.
The defenders managed to neutralise the striker for most of the second half.
neutralise + [person seen as a threat]
Sivan added cream to the curry to neutralise the heat from the chilli.
neutralise + [sensation or effect]
The new tax law in Brazil should neutralise the price advantage of imported wine.
Lara stayed silent in the meeting, hoping to neutralise the tension between the two managers.
Engineers added weight to the base to neutralise the wind pushing against the tower.
- counteract
common everyday choice; stresses the opposing action
- offset
often used for numbers, costs, or measurable advantages
- nullify
more formal; suggests making something legally or fully void
文法句型
neutralise + [threat/risk/advantage]
neutralise + [the effect/impact of] + [noun]
用法筆記
Object is usually something the speaker views as unwanted: a threat, a risk, an advantage held by someone else, or an effect that would otherwise change the outcome. Distinguish from sense 2 (chemistry): sense 1 is figurative or general, sense 2 is the strict acid/alkali reading.
常見錯誤
2. in chemistry, to mix an acid and a base together so the result is neither acidic
in chemistry, to mix an acid and a base together so the result is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Adding a small spoon of baking soda will neutralise the lemon juice in the sauce.
[base] + neutralise + [acid]
Hyun showed the class how milk of magnesia can neutralise stomach acid.
neutralise + [acid in the body]
Workers spread lime over the spill to neutralise the strong battery acid on the floor.
The lab technician added drops of sodium hydroxide until the mixture was fully neutralised.
- acidify
makes a solution more acidic instead of neutral
- alkalinise
makes a solution more alkaline instead of neutral
文法句型
neutralise + [acid/alkali]
[substance] + neutralises + [substance]
用法筆記
Only used about acids and bases in chemistry or related fields such as gardening, medicine, or cleaning. Subject is usually a base or buffer; object is usually an acid (or the other way round). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 has a measurable pH meaning, while sense 1 is about cancelling forces or threats.
常見錯誤
3. in military or police language, to kill an enemy or to stop a target so they can
in military or police language, to kill an enemy or to stop a target so they can no longer fight or attack.
The unit was sent in to neutralise the gunmen who had taken the building.
neutralise + [armed attackers]
Two suspects were neutralised by the police during the raid in the harbour.
passive: be neutralised by + [force]
Army commanders in Mosul insisted that snipers had neutralised the threat before sunrise.
Tunde's report described how soldiers neutralised the missile launcher near the coast.
- spare
to choose not to kill or harm someone
文法句型
neutralise + [target/enemy/suspect]
be neutralised by + [military/security force]
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('was neutralised'). Used by armed forces, police, and journalists as a softer, official-sounding word for killing or destroying. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 always involves people or weapons in violent conflict; sense 1 is about cancelling an effect without violence.
常見錯誤
4. during a cycling or car race, to officially pause the action for a short time so
during a cycling or car race, to officially pause the action for a short time so the time gaps between competitors are kept exactly as they were before.
Race officials neutralised the cycling stage after a crash blocked the mountain road.
neutralise + [the stage/race]
The race was neutralised for ten minutes while marshals cleared broken glass from the track.
passive: the race was neutralised for + [time]
Judges did not neutralise the race after the small crash near the finish line.
Heavy rain forced the judges to neutralise the final lap of the cycling event in Tokyo.
- resume
to start the race again after a pause
文法句型
neutralise + [the race/stage]
the race was neutralised after + [event]
用法筆記
Specialist term in road cycling and some motor-racing reports; rarely heard outside sports coverage. Often passive ('the race was neutralised'). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 4 means freezing the time gaps during a race, not cancelling someone's advantage in general.