Definition of "sanitize" []

• To make sanitary, as by cleaning or disinfecting. (verb-transitive)
• To make more acceptable by removing unpleasant or offensive features from: sanitized the language in adapting the novel for television. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "QUESTION: Back to what was brought up earlier about Jenin, you have restated the administration's position, but are you concerned, at this point, that too much time has maybe gone by, allowing either side to so-called sanitize the area?"
• "Hollywood needed to "sanitize" the movie from gay issues in order for the movie to be more accepted by bigger audiences and therefore bring more revenue, and the writer of the novel/book who is gay in real life sold the story and allowed the changes FOR MONEY."
• "By doing this in 2 steps over several months it will "sanitize" this unseamly act that needs to be done."