as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in poisoned
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
a supply of drinking water that was contaminated by a toxic waste dump
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contaminated
Chris Bowling, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2026
People most at risk of health issues from PFAS include young children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who live in contaminated areas, or people — like firefighters or chemical manufacturers — who are exposed to PFAS on the job.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, large areas of farmland were treated similarly, and contaminated topsoil was removed and stored in temporary as well as long-term facilities.
—Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Adjective
Jovanni periodically while Daniels followed instructions on cleaning, handwashing and keeping Jovanni away from contaminated dirt.
—Chris Bowling, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2026
People most at risk of health issues from PFAS include young children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who live in contaminated areas, or people — like firefighters or chemical manufacturers — who are exposed to PFAS on the job.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
The accident contaminated nearby areas and spewed radiation across Europe.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, large areas of farmland were treated similarly, and contaminated topsoil was removed and stored in temporary as well as long-term facilities.
—Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contaminated
Adjective
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But many of the communities where those minerals are mined end up with polluted water and poorer health because of the mining.—
Abraham Nunbogu,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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As Mexico City has expanded over time, the Xochimilco lake system has gradually shrunk and become more polluted in certain areas, which has led to a steep decline in their population.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Who cares about the fact that her friend cheated when her child was poisoned by her husband and her father?—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
22 Apr. 2026
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Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that his New York conviction last year was poisoned by bad blood among jurors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Net income is $807 million, or 43 cents per diluted share.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
24 Apr. 2026
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The device pulls in a lot of air to capture the very diluted CO2.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Second, a dilute hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining lithium and the transition metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
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For example, Wilson’s team is exploring whether dilute acids speed up weathering.—
Robert F. Service,
Science | AAAS,
3 Sep. 2020
Adjective
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While Liang seeks to distance the company from the tainted elements, Supermicro’s longer-term fate may hinge on whether Nvidia stays close or decides to keep its distance.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
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The case has it all — backroom deals, bribes, tainted legislation, dark money contributions — even the suicide of a prominent official at the center of the scandal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contaminated. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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