1
a
: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores
b
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
c
: incapable of germinating
sterile spores
d
of a flower
: neither perfect nor pistillate
2
a
: unproductive of vegetation
a sterile arid region
b
: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms
a sterile syringe
c
: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless
a sterile work of art
Examples of sterile in a Sentence
a sterile dressing for a wound
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children
Recent Examples on the Web
Another troublesome sign for the fish: the hybrids are sterile and can’t reproduce themselves.
—
Ella Nilsen, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Each pill has been made under the most sterile, precise, and strictest standards.
—Michael Carroll, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
In hospitals, sterile bags of saline solution are commonly administered intravenously for a variety of clinical purposes, including to treat dehydration.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 2 Mar. 2024
Clean the area: Use a sterile saline wound wash spray twice per day.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 1 Feb. 2024
Barbara Kemmis, executive director of CANA, said the effluent is sterile.
—Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Jan. 2024
The initial Bradford pear trees planted were sterile – meaning the trees could not pollinate themselves to produce viable fruit.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Enfamil Infant Formula is available in powdered or liquid form, which is useful for young babies because liquid formula is sterile.
—Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Its planes of gray and black feel hard-edged and sterile, which is to say entirely at odds with the emotional warmth of the food coming out of the kitchen.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2024
Ella Nilsen, CNN, 6 Apr. 2024
Each pill has been made under the most sterile, precise, and strictest standards.
—Michael Carroll, Discover Magazine, 3 Apr. 2024
In hospitals, sterile bags of saline solution are commonly administered intravenously for a variety of clinical purposes, including to treat dehydration.
—Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 2 Mar. 2024
Clean the area: Use a sterile saline wound wash spray twice per day.
—Madeleine Burry, Health, 1 Feb. 2024
Barbara Kemmis, executive director of CANA, said the effluent is sterile.
—Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Jan. 2024
The initial Bradford pear trees planted were sterile – meaning the trees could not pollinate themselves to produce viable fruit.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024
Enfamil Infant Formula is available in powdered or liquid form, which is useful for young babies because liquid formula is sterile.
—Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024
Its planes of gray and black feel hard-edged and sterile, which is to say entirely at odds with the emotional warmth of the food coming out of the kitchen.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sterile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl 
1
: not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile
sterile soil
2
: free from microscopic living things and especially germs (as bacteria and viruses)
a sterile dressing for a wound
Medical Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl
1
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
compare infertile
2
: free from living organisms and especially microorganisms
a sterile syringe
a sterile cyst
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