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Glite Dictionary
to discolorize

to discolorize

8.9
To make something lose its color or become lighter
  • verb
  • /dɪsˈkʌləraɪz/
  • US
: decolorar
  • Strong cleaning chemicals can easily discolorize delicate fabrics.

Examples

  • Years of washing have discolorized the pattern on this old quilt.

  • The sun can discolorize fabrics over time.

  • The artist chose to discolorize the photograph, giving it a vintage appearance.

  • I need to discolorize this shirt to make it white again.

  • The strong bleach will discolorize the carpet if you leave it for too long.

  • Overexposure to sunlight can discolorize paint on outdoor furniture.

  • To restore its brightness, you may need to discolorize the yellowed pages of the book.

Synonyms

to bleach
vsto discolorize
30 3.2

To make something lighter in color, often using chemicals or sunlight

is more general and not limited to chemical or sunlight methods
to lighten
vsto discolorize
11 2.3

To make a place or color look brighter

refers specifically to removing or fading existing color rather than brightness change
to whiten
vsto discolorize
10 2.8

Make or become more white in color

focuses on removing or fading existing color rather than only causing paleness
to discolor
vsto discolorize
  • US
4 4.1

To become faded or stained

describes planned removal to whiten rather than accidental or staining changes
to bleach out
vsto discolorize
4 3.8

Make clothes and similar things much lighter in color, usually by sunlight or chemicals

is more general and covers removal or fading by any means
to wash out
vsto discolorize
3 4.0

Make a color on clothes become lighter when you clean them

is broader and not limited to fading caused only by washing
to desaturate
vsto discolorize
  • Specialized
1 7.1

To make the colors in a picture less bright so it looks more gray

works by removing or fading color toward whiteness, not just reducing intensity
to white
vsto discolorize
1 5.9

To make something very light in color

allows partial fading or lightening rather than full paleness
to decolor
vsto discolorize
  • US
1 7.9

To make something lose its color or become lighter

has identical meaning but a different written form
to decolorize
vsto discolorize
  • US
1 7.0

To take the color out of something like fabric or a photograph

has identical meaning but a different written form
to decolourize
vsto discolorize
  • UK
7.7

To make something lose its color

has identical meaning but a different written form
to achromatize
vsto discolorize
  • Specialized
9.9

To remove unwanted color from a lens so images have no colored edges

is a general term for removing or fading color, not limited to technical use

Antonyms

to colorize
  • US
4 4.8

To add color to black-and-white photos or films using software

How Faded

to bleach
30 3.2
to discolorize
  • US
8.9
to lighten
11 2.3
to fade
454 1.2

Surface Forms

discolorize infinitive
discolored past
discolored past participle
discolorizing present participle
discolorizes third person singular

Morphology

discolorize = colorize (transparent) = dis + color + ize

The prefix 'dis-' transparently signals reversal or removal, so 'discolorize' is straightforwardly understood as removing color from something.

Etymology

Discolorize combines dis- ('remove' or 'not'), the familiar word color, and -ize ('to make'). So, to discolorize something is to 'make' it lighter in color or to 'remove' its color, like when cleaning fades a fabric or an old photo is lightened.