CONTAMINATE Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'contaminate' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of contaminate are defile , pollute , and taint . While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source. // water contaminated by industrial wastes

Q: When can 'defile' be used instead of 'contaminate'?

Although the words defile and contaminate have much in common, defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration. // defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Q: When is 'pollute' a more appropriate choice than 'contaminate'?

The synonyms pollute and contaminate are sometimes interchangeable, but pollute , sometimes interchangeable with contaminate , distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy. // the polluted waters of the river

Q: When is it sensible to use 'taint' instead of 'contaminate'?

The words taint and contaminate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination. // tainted meat // a politician's tainted reputation

contaminate

verb

kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnāt

Definition of contaminate next

as in to pollute

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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How does the verb contaminate contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of contaminate are defile, pollute, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

When can defile be used instead of contaminate?

Although the words defile and contaminate have much in common, defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

When is pollute a more appropriate choice than contaminate?

The synonyms pollute and contaminate are sometimes interchangeable, but pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

When is it sensible to use taint instead of contaminate?

The words taint and contaminate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat

a politician's tainted reputation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of contaminate If a cane toad enters a bowl of pet food or water, their toxins will contaminate it, and pets can ingest the poison that way. —

Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 During an April 2024 interview with The Sun, John revealed that he was diagnosed with toxic peripheral polyneuropathy, a condition linked to his time at Camp Lejeune, a notorious military base in North Carolina, where the water was severely contaminated in the 1980s. —

Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 23 June 2026 Hantaviruses usually spread when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings, but the hantavirus that caused the outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases, health officials say. —

Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 In some cases diesel fuel may accidentally mix with gasoline, or high-ethanol fuel such as E85 may contaminate regular gasoline. —

John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for contaminate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for contaminate

Verb

The solution is to support federal and state legislation that encourages lower-cost, less-polluting renewable energy to speed up the transition away from environmentally damaging fossil fuels.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Plastics degrade into microplastics, which in humans have been linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and other health issues, and which are polluting ecosystems from coral reefs to Antarctica.

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 26 June 2026

Definition of pollute

Verb

Kara Zor-El (Alcock) goes on a planet-hopping mission to save her beloved Krypto – with young and vengeful girl Ruthye (Eve Ridley) in tow – after he’s poisoned by the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 June 2026
As a final comedic beat, Krypto immediately gets into some chocolate — a playful contrast to his earlier near-death experience after being poisoned by Krem.

— Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026