volatilize

volatilize — verb

  • volatilizepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • volatilizes3rd person singular
  • volatilizing-ing form
  • volatilizedpast simple

1. to use heat, a chemical reaction, or reduced air pressure to turn a solid or liq

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to use heat, a chemical reaction, or reduced air pressure to turn a solid or liquid substance into a gas

Example

Elena volatilized the solvent by gently warming the flask in a hot water bath.

transitive: heat source + volatilize + substance

The chemist used a vacuum pump to volatilize the liquid sample before running the test.

purpose clause: to volatilize + liquid

Common collocations
  • volatilize a solvent
  • volatilize a sample
  • volatilize by heating
  • volatilize under vacuum
  • volatilize a liquid
Synonyms
  • vaporize

    more general term; 'vaporize' can mean any conversion to vapor, including by extreme heat or explosion, while 'volatilize' is gentler and more common in chemistry

  • evaporate

    restricted to water or aqueous liquids turning to vapor at or near room temperature; 'volatilize' covers any substance under applied heat or pressure change

  • sublime

    specific to solids turning directly into gas without passing through a liquid phase; a subset of what 'volatilize' can describe

Antonyms
  • condense

    to turn a gas back into a liquid, the opposite phase change

  • solidify

    to turn a liquid into a solid; while not a direct reverse, it describes the opposite direction of matter

Grammar Patterns

volatilize + noun phrase (substance)

Usage Note

Subject is usually a person (chemist, technician), a piece of equipment (furnace, pump), or a condition (heat, low pressure). The object is a substance that responds to heat or pressure change.

Common Mistakes

The sun volatilized the puddle this morning.
The sun evaporated the puddle this morning.
For water drying at room temperature, use 'evaporate'; 'volatilize' usually implies deliberate heat, chemicals, or pressure change and is more common in lab settings.
The liquid was volatilized by itself.
The liquid volatilized on its own.
When no agent is involved, use the intransitive form (sense 2) rather than the passive transitive.

2. to change from a liquid or solid condition into a gas and dissolve into the surr

2.verbintransitiveC1
Definition

to change from a liquid or solid condition into a gas and dissolve into the surrounding air

Example

The spilled acetone volatilized within seconds, leaving no trace on the countertop.

intransitive: substance + volatilize + time frame

Amira watched the dry ice volatilize into a white fog that spread across the floor.

Common collocations
  • volatilize into the air
  • volatilize quickly
  • volatilize from a surface
  • volatilize at room temperature
Synonyms
  • evaporate

    the more common everyday word for liquids turning to vapor; 'volatilize' sounds more technical and works for non-water substances

  • vaporize

    can describe the same process but often implies very high heat or a more violent change

  • sublime

    used specifically when a solid goes directly to gas without melting, e.g. dry ice

Antonyms
  • condense

    gas turning into liquid, the reverse phase change

Grammar Patterns

noun phrase (substance) + volatilize

Usage Note

The subject must be a substance that can turn into gas. Unlike 'evaporate', which is used mainly for water, 'volatilize' works for any chemical (alcohol, mercury, solvent, essential oil).

Common Mistakes

The chemist volatilized the alcohol by leaving the bottle open.
The alcohol volatilized when the technician left the bottle open.
If the chemist did not actively apply heat or a vacuum, the alcohol simply volatilized on its own (intransitive).
The puddle volatilized under the hot sun.
The puddle evaporated under the hot sun.
For everyday water evaporation, 'evaporate' is the natural word.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words describe the change of matter into a gas, but they differ in register, scope, and context. 'Volatilize' is the most technical term, used almost exclusively in chemistry and materials science to describe a controlled phase change achieved by moderate heat, chemical action, or reduced pressure. 'Vaporize' is broader and more dramatic — it covers everything from boiling water to a laser destroying a target. 'Evaporate' is the everyday word for liquids, especially water, turning to vapor at ambient temperature. 'Sublime' is the narrowest of the four, reserved for solids that jump directly to gas without melting (like dry ice or iodine crystals). For example, a chemist would 'volatilize' a solvent in a distillation setup, but a puddle of rain on a sidewalk would 'evaporate', and a block of frozen carbon dioxide would 'sublime'.

volatilize ↗vaporize ↗evaporate ↗sublime ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • at room temperature
  • under reduced pressure
  • by gentle heating

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Derived from the Latin word 'volatilis', meaning 'flying' or 'swift', which also gave us 'volatile'. The ending '-ize' turns the adjective into a verb meaning 'to make something become like that'. English borrowed the word through scientific French ('volatiliser') in the 1600s as alchemists and early chemists needed a precise term for turning substances into vapor.

First known use

1657

1657, in the meaning defined at transitive sense