1. to increase the electrical potential difference across a cell membrane, making the inside more negative relative to the outside
Usage: biology, neuroscience; third-person singular present tense of hyperpolarize

Examples

• The neuron hyperpolarizes when potassium ions flow out of the cell.
• Certain medications hyperpolarize nerve cells to reduce excitability.
• The membrane hyperpolarizes to approximately -90 millivolts during the resting state.
• Light hyperpolarizes photoreceptor cells in the retina.
• When the stimulus ends, the cell hyperpolarizes back to its resting potential.