dematerialize

verb
de·​ma·​te·​ri·​al·​ize | \ ˌdē-mə-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce dematerialize (audio) \
dematerialized; dematerializing; dematerializes

Definition of dematerialize

transitive verb

: to cause to become or appear immaterial

intransitive verb

: to lose or appear to lose materiality

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Other Words from dematerialize

dematerialization \ ˌdē-​mə-​ˌtir-​ē-​ə-​lə-​ˈzā-​shən How to pronounce dematerialization (audio) \ noun

Synonyms & Antonyms for dematerialize

Synonyms

disappear, dissolve, evanesce, evaporate, fade, flee, fly, melt, sink, vanish

Antonyms

appear, materialize

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Examples of dematerialize in a Sentence

the image suddenly dematerialized, and once again we were staring at a blank screen

Recent Examples on the Web

When Man Ray used slatted light, for example, the bands of light and dark gloriously dematerialize the woman’s skin with whirls of illumination. Arthur Lubow, New York Times, "Has Robert Mapplethorpe’s Moment Passed?," 25 July 2019 In r/Asceticism, Snoo dematerializes into the cyberether, its form the mere wisp of an outline. Arielle Pardes, WIRED, "The Transformative Power of Reddit's Alien Mascot," 6 July 2018 And a character called the Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), an escapee from the Quantum Realm, is an anguished creature who dematerializes and rematerializes at will during fights with Ant-Man and the Wasp, making her a tough opponent to beat and defeat. Soren Andersen, The Seattle Times, "‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’: Paul Rudd is back in busy little sequel," 2 July 2018 Light and Space artists like Doug Wheeler and Robert Irwin were leaving painting behind — dematerializing the art object, in critic Lucy Lippard’s famous phrase — while Larry Bell was moving into sculpture. Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Jim DeFrance retrospective at Doyle Arts Pavilion is a dazzler," 24 Feb. 2018 Imperial avenues, bizarchitecture skyscrapers, distant mountains — all dematerialize in the stinking haze. Spencer Reiss, WIRED, "Smog and Mirrors: China’s Plan for a Green Olympics," 24 July 2007

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dematerialize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of dematerialize

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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