diff --git a/src/array_slice.cpp b/src/array_slice.cpp
index 42e5be8b7..b9905c16f 100644
--- a/src/array_slice.cpp
+++ b/src/array_slice.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
    h5fields.cpp
 */
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <math.h>
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ static void get_array_slice_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichnk, component cgr
   for (int i = 0; i < data->rank; ++i) {
     direction d = data->ds[i];
     int isd = isS.in_direction(d), ied = ieS.in_direction(d);
-    start[i] = (min(isd, ied) - data->min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
+    start[i] = (std::min(isd, ied) - data->min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
     count[i] = abs(ied - isd) / 2 + 1;
     slice_size *= count[i];
     if (ied < isd) offset[permute.in_direction(d)] = count[i] - 1;
diff --git a/src/bands.cpp b/src/bands.cpp
index 9449c792f..d1b141863 100644
--- a/src/bands.cpp
+++ b/src/bands.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 %  Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
 */
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
@@ -33,9 +34,9 @@ namespace meep {
 
 double fields::last_source_time() {
   double last_time = 0;
-  if (sources != NULL) last_time = max(last_time, sources->last_time_max());
+  if (sources != NULL) last_time = std::max(last_time, sources->last_time_max());
   for (int i = 0; i < num_chunks; i++)
-    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) last_time = max(last_time, chunks[i]->last_source_time());
+    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) last_time = std::max(last_time, chunks[i]->last_source_time());
   return max_to_all(last_time);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/dft.cpp b/src/dft.cpp
index 60896fcf9..8be4173eb 100644
--- a/src/dft.cpp
+++ b/src/dft.cpp
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ complex<double> dft_chunk::process_dft_component(int rank, direction *ds, ivec m
   for (int i = 0; i < rank; ++i) {
     direction d = ds[i];
     int isd = isS.in_direction(d), ied = ieS.in_direction(d);
-    start[i] = (min(isd, ied) - min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
+    start[i] = (std::min(isd, ied) - min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
     file_count[i] = abs(ied - isd) / 2 + 1;
     if (ied < isd) file_offset[permute.in_direction(d)] = file_count[i] - 1;
     array_count[i] = (max_corner.in_direction(d) - min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2 + 1;
@@ -944,7 +944,7 @@ complex<double> fields::process_dft_component(dft_chunk **chunklists, int num_ch
       LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(chunk->fc->gv.dim, d) {
         this_bufsz *= (chunk->ie.in_direction(d) - chunk->is.in_direction(d)) / 2 + 1;
       }
-      bufsz = max(bufsz, this_bufsz);
+      bufsz = std::max(bufsz, this_bufsz);
     }
   am_now_working_on(MpiAllTime);
   max_corner = max_to_all(max_corner);
diff --git a/src/h5fields.cpp b/src/h5fields.cpp
index 1c597e1d1..672b273d1 100644
--- a/src/h5fields.cpp
+++ b/src/h5fields.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static void h5_findsize_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichnk, component cgrid,
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(fc->gv.dim, d) {
     bufsz *= (ie.in_direction(d) - is.in_direction(d)) / 2 + 1;
   }
-  data->bufsz = max(data->bufsz, bufsz);
+  data->bufsz = std::max(data->bufsz, bufsz);
 }
 
 static void h5_output_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichnk, component cgrid, ivec is, ivec ie,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ static void h5_output_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichnk, component cgrid, iv
   for (int i = 0; i < data->rank; ++i) {
     direction d = data->ds[i];
     int isd = isS.in_direction(d), ied = ieS.in_direction(d);
-    start[i] = (min(isd, ied) - data->min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
+    start[i] = (std::min(isd, ied) - data->min_corner.in_direction(d)) / 2;
     count[i] = abs(ied - isd) / 2 + 1;
     if (ied < isd) offset[permute.in_direction(d)] = count[i] - 1;
   }
diff --git a/src/integrate.cpp b/src/integrate.cpp
index 0fdfb5433..7445df910 100644
--- a/src/integrate.cpp
+++ b/src/integrate.cpp
@@ -119,11 +119,11 @@ static void integrate_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichunk, component cgrid, i
     }
 
     complex<double> integrand = data->integrand(fvals, loc, data->integrand_data_);
-    maxabs = max(maxabs, abs(integrand));
+    maxabs = std::max(maxabs, abs(integrand));
     sum += integrand * IVEC_LOOP_WEIGHT(s0, s1, e0, e1, dV0 + dV1 * loop_i2);
   }
 
-  data->maxabs = max(data->maxabs, maxabs);
+  data->maxabs = std::max(data->maxabs, maxabs);
   data->sum += sum;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/integrate2.cpp b/src/integrate2.cpp
index cc22b0535..48e255d74 100644
--- a/src/integrate2.cpp
+++ b/src/integrate2.cpp
@@ -177,11 +177,11 @@ static void integrate_chunkloop(fields_chunk *fc, int ichunk, component cgrid, i
     }
 
     complex<double> integrand = data->integrand(fvals, loc, data->integrand_data_);
-    maxabs = max(maxabs, abs(integrand));
+    maxabs = std::max(maxabs, abs(integrand));
     sum += integrand * IVEC_LOOP_WEIGHT(s0, s1, e0, e1, dV0 + dV1 * loop_i2);
   }
 
-  data->maxabs = max(data->maxabs, maxabs);
+  data->maxabs = std::max(data->maxabs, maxabs);
   data->sum += sum;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/loop_in_chunks.cpp b/src/loop_in_chunks.cpp
index d84433c18..eabd4c825 100644
--- a/src/loop_in_chunks.cpp
+++ b/src/loop_in_chunks.cpp
@@ -459,22 +459,22 @@ void fields::loop_in_chunks(field_chunkloop chunkloop, void *chunkloop_data, con
               e0c.set_direction(d, e1.in_direction(dS));
             }
             if (iecS.in_direction(dS) == iscS.in_direction(dS)) {
-              double w = min(s0c.in_direction(d), e0c.in_direction(d));
+              double w = std::min(s0c.in_direction(d), e0c.in_direction(d));
               s0c.set_direction(d, w);
               e0c.set_direction(d, w);
               s1c.set_direction(d, w);
               e1c.set_direction(d, w);
             }
             else if (iecS.in_direction(dS) == iscS.in_direction(dS) + 1 * 2) {
-              double w = min(s0c.in_direction(d), e1c.in_direction(d));
+              double w = std::min(s0c.in_direction(d), e1c.in_direction(d));
               s0c.set_direction(d, w);
               e1c.set_direction(d, w);
-              w = min(s1c.in_direction(d), e0c.in_direction(d));
+              w = std::min(s1c.in_direction(d), e0c.in_direction(d));
               s1c.set_direction(d, w);
               e0c.set_direction(d, w);
             }
             else if (iecS.in_direction(dS) == iscS.in_direction(dS) + 2 * 2) {
-              double w = min(s1c.in_direction(d), e1c.in_direction(d));
+              double w = std::min(s1c.in_direction(d), e1c.in_direction(d));
               s1c.set_direction(d, w);
               e1c.set_direction(d, w);
             }
diff --git a/src/meep_internals.hpp b/src/meep_internals.hpp
index 0bb56b5a5..aeebb7bc3 100644
--- a/src/meep_internals.hpp
+++ b/src/meep_internals.hpp
@@ -24,14 +24,6 @@ namespace meep {
 #define DOCMP for (int cmp = 0; cmp < 2 - is_real; cmp++)
 #define DOCMP2 for (int cmp = 0; cmp < 2; cmp++)
 
-inline double max(double a, double b) { return (a > b) ? a : b; }
-inline double min(double a, double b) { return (a < b) ? a : b; }
-inline int max(int a, int b) { return (a > b) ? a : b; }
-inline size_t max(size_t a, size_t b) { return (a > b) ? a : b; }
-inline int min(int a, int b) { return (a < b) ? a : b; }
-static inline int abs(int a) { return a < 0 ? -a : a; }
-static inline double abs(double a) { return fabs(a); }
-
 // note that C99 has a round() function, but I don't want to rely on it
 static inline int my_round(double x) { return int(floor(fabs(x) + 0.5) * (x < 0 ? -1 : 1)); }
 
diff --git a/src/sources.cpp b/src/sources.cpp
index 4308377b0..65eda579c 100644
--- a/src/sources.cpp
+++ b/src/sources.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ src_time *src_time::add_to(src_time *others, src_time **added) const {
 }
 
 double src_time::last_time_max(double after) {
-  after = max(last_time(), after);
+  after = std::max(last_time(), after);
   if (next)
     return next->last_time_max(after);
   else
diff --git a/src/structure.cpp b/src/structure.cpp
index a269bee83..576b2f539 100644
--- a/src/structure.cpp
+++ b/src/structure.cpp
@@ -937,14 +937,14 @@ structure_chunk::structure_chunk(const grid_volume &thegv, const volume &vol_lim
 double structure::max_eps() const {
   double themax = 0.0;
   for (int i = 0; i < num_chunks; i++)
-    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) themax = max(themax, chunks[i]->max_eps());
+    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) themax = std::max(themax, chunks[i]->max_eps());
   return max_to_all(themax);
 }
 
 double fields::max_eps() const {
   double themax = 0.0;
   for (int i = 0; i < num_chunks; i++)
-    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) themax = max(themax, chunks[i]->s->max_eps());
+    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) themax = std::max(themax, chunks[i]->s->max_eps());
   return max_to_all(themax);
 }
 
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ double structure_chunk::max_eps() const {
     direction d = component_direction(c);
     if (chi1inv[c][d])
       for (size_t i = 0; i < gv.ntot(); i++)
-        themax = max(themax, 1 / chi1inv[c][d][i]);
+        themax = std::max<double>(themax, 1 / chi1inv[c][d][i]);
   }
   return themax;
 }
diff --git a/src/vec.cpp b/src/vec.cpp
index c7951768b..c704749dd 100644
--- a/src/vec.cpp
+++ b/src/vec.cpp
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ component first_field_component(field_type ft) {
 vec min(const vec &vec1, const vec &vec2) {
   vec m(vec1.dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(vec1.dim, d) {
-    m.set_direction(d, min(vec1.in_direction(d), vec2.in_direction(d)));
+    m.set_direction(d, std::min(vec1.in_direction(d), vec2.in_direction(d)));
   }
   return m;
 }
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ vec min(const vec &vec1, const vec &vec2) {
 vec max(const vec &vec1, const vec &vec2) {
   vec m(vec1.dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(vec1.dim, d) {
-    m.set_direction(d, max(vec1.in_direction(d), vec2.in_direction(d)));
+    m.set_direction(d, std::max(vec1.in_direction(d), vec2.in_direction(d)));
   }
   return m;
 }
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ vec max(const vec &vec1, const vec &vec2) {
 ivec min(const ivec &ivec1, const ivec &ivec2) {
   ivec m(ivec1.dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(ivec1.dim, d) {
-    m.set_direction(d, min(ivec1.in_direction(d), ivec2.in_direction(d)));
+    m.set_direction(d, std::min(ivec1.in_direction(d), ivec2.in_direction(d)));
   }
   return m;
 }
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ ivec min(const ivec &ivec1, const ivec &ivec2) {
 ivec max(const ivec &ivec1, const ivec &ivec2) {
   ivec m(ivec1.dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(ivec1.dim, d) {
-    m.set_direction(d, max(ivec1.in_direction(d), ivec2.in_direction(d)));
+    m.set_direction(d, std::max(ivec1.in_direction(d), ivec2.in_direction(d)));
   }
   return m;
 }
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ double volume::full_volume() const {
 
 double volume::diameter() const {
   double diam = 0.0;
-  LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(dim, d) { diam = max(diam, in_direction(d)); }
+  LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(dim, d) { diam = std::max(diam, in_direction(d)); }
   return diam;
 }
 
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ volume volume::intersect_with(const volume &a) const {
   if (a.dim != dim) meep::abort("Can't intersect volumes of dissimilar dimensions.\n");
   volume result(dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(dim, d) {
-    double minval = max(in_direction_min(d), a.in_direction_min(d));
-    double maxval = min(in_direction_max(d), a.in_direction_max(d));
+    double minval = std::max(in_direction_min(d), a.in_direction_min(d));
+    double maxval = std::min(in_direction_max(d), a.in_direction_max(d));
     if (minval > maxval) return volume(zero_vec(dim), zero_vec(dim));
     result.set_direction_min(d, minval);
     result.set_direction_max(d, maxval);
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@ volume volume::intersect_with(const volume &a) const {
 bool volume::intersects(const volume &a) const {
   if (a.dim != dim) meep::abort("Can't intersect volumes of dissimilar dimensions.\n");
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(dim, d) {
-    double minval = max(in_direction_min(d), a.in_direction_min(d));
-    double maxval = min(in_direction_max(d), a.in_direction_max(d));
+    double minval = std::max(in_direction_min(d), a.in_direction_min(d));
+    double maxval = std::min(in_direction_max(d), a.in_direction_max(d));
     if (minval > maxval) return false;
   }
   return true;
@@ -757,8 +757,8 @@ bool grid_volume::intersect_with(const grid_volume &vol_in, grid_volume *interse
   int temp_num[3] = {0, 0, 0};
   ivec new_io(dim);
   LOOP_OVER_DIRECTIONS(dim, d) {
-    int minval = max(little_corner().in_direction(d), vol_in.little_corner().in_direction(d));
-    int maxval = min(big_corner().in_direction(d), vol_in.big_corner().in_direction(d));
+    int minval = std::max(little_corner().in_direction(d), vol_in.little_corner().in_direction(d));
+    int maxval = std::min(big_corner().in_direction(d), vol_in.big_corner().in_direction(d));
     if (minval >= maxval) return false;
     temp_num[d % 3] = (maxval - minval) / 2;
     new_io.set_direction(d, minval);
@@ -825,7 +825,7 @@ vec grid_volume::loc_at_resolution(ptrdiff_t index, double res) const {
     const direction d = (direction)dd;
     if (has_boundary(High, d)) {
       const double dist = boundary_location(High, d) - boundary_location(Low, d);
-      const int nhere = max(1, (int)floor(dist * res + 0.5));
+      const int nhere = std::max(1, (int)floor(dist * res + 0.5));
       where.set_direction(d, origin.in_direction(d) + ((index % nhere) + 0.5) * (1.0 / res));
       index /= nhere;
     }
@@ -839,7 +839,7 @@ size_t grid_volume::ntot_at_resolution(double res) const {
     if (has_boundary(High, (direction)d)) {
       const double dist =
           boundary_location(High, (direction)d) - boundary_location(Low, (direction)d);
-      mytot *= max(size_t(1), (size_t)(dist * res + 0.5));
+      mytot *= std::max(size_t(1), (size_t)(dist * res + 0.5));
     }
   return mytot;
 }
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ void grid_volume::find_best_split(int desired_chunks, bool fragment_cost,
     std::complex<double> costs = get_split_costs(d, split_point, fragment_cost);
     double left_cost = real(costs), right_cost = imag(costs);
     double total_cost = left_cost + right_cost;
-    double split_measure = max(left_cost / (desired_chunks / 2), right_cost / (desired_chunks - (desired_chunks / 2)));
+    double split_measure = std::max(left_cost / (desired_chunks / 2), right_cost / (desired_chunks - (desired_chunks / 2)));
     // Give a 30% preference to the longest axis, as a heuristic to prefer lower communication costs
     // when the split_measure is somewhat close.   TODO: use a data-driven communication cost function.
     if (d == longest_axis) split_measure *= 0.7;
diff --git a/tests/h5test.cpp b/tests/h5test.cpp
index 75842fe81..bc681780c 100644
--- a/tests/h5test.cpp
+++ b/tests/h5test.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include "config.h"
 using namespace meep;
 using std::complex;
+using std::max;
+using std::min;
 
 const double xsize = 2.0;
 const double ysize = 2.0;
@@ -157,9 +159,9 @@ bool check_2d(double eps(const vec &), double a, int splitting, symfunc Sf, doub
 
         double err =
             compare(h5data[idx], get_reim(f.get_field(cs, loc) * ph, reim), name, i0, i1, 0);
-        err_max = max(err, err_max);
-        data_min = min(data_min, h5data[idx]);
-        data_max = max(data_max, h5data[idx]);
+        err_max = max<double>(err, err_max);
+        data_min = min<double>(data_min, h5data[idx]);
+        data_max = max<double>(data_max, h5data[idx]);
       }
     }
     delete[] h5data;
@@ -269,8 +271,8 @@ bool check_3d(double eps(const vec &), double a, int splitting, symfunc Sf, comp
           double err =
               compare(h5data[idx], get_reim(f.get_field(cs, loc) * ph, reim), name, i0, i1, i2);
           err_max = max(err, err_max);
-          data_min = min(data_min, h5data[idx]);
-          data_max = max(data_max, h5data[idx]);
+          data_min = min<double>(data_min, h5data[idx]);
+          data_max = max<double>(data_max, h5data[idx]);
         }
       }
     }
@@ -348,8 +350,8 @@ bool check_2d_monitor(double eps(const vec &), double a, int splitting, symfunc
     for (int i = 0; i < f.t; ++i) {
       double err = compare(h5data[i], get_reim(mon[i], reim), name, i, 0, 0);
       err_max = max(err, err_max);
-      data_min = min(data_min, h5data[i]);
-      data_max = max(data_max, h5data[i]);
+      data_min = min<double>(data_min, h5data[i]);
+      data_max = max<double>(data_max, h5data[i]);
     }
     delete[] h5data;
   }