neutralize

For the wider electorate, even those with legitimate doubts about his character, it neutralized their concerns by depriving Democrats of any plausible claim to the moral high ground.

In a matter of weeks last fall, Israel dismantled Hezbollah’s command centers, destroyed a substantial portion of its missile stockpiles, and neutralized its capacity to wage war.

It said 23 of its own troops were killed and 29 wounded, while "more than...200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists have been neutralized".

Israel wasn’t willing to fully leave Gaza until Hamas was neutralized.

It also would help neutralize any criticism that Occidental did a sweetheart deal with its largest shareholder.