inactivate v. t. (past & past part. inactivated; pres. part. inactivating) To make inactive; as, boiling will inactivate most enzymes; acetylation of the antibiotic inactivated it. Synonyms: deactivate. Note: To inactivate an enzyme or chemical usually renders it permanently inactive; to inactivate a machine (as by turning a switch) may be reversible, and for machines and devices, the term deactivate is usually used. The distinction is worth preserving.
