contaminated

adjective

con·​tam·​i·​nat·​ed kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnā-təd 

1

: soiled, stained, corrupted, or infected by contact or association

a contaminated wound

Urine and feces of infected cats and contaminated clothing, bedding, food bowls or toys are also possible modes of transmission.

—Cat Fancy

2

: made unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements

Botulinum toxin is a highly lethal substance which causes death … when contaminated food is improperly canned or stored.

—John Laffin

… the material could be used as a filter for cleaning contaminated drinking water.

—Alexandra Goho

Synonyms of contaminated

• polluted
• thinned
• diluted
• dilute
• tainted

Examples of contaminated in a Sentence

the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply

Recent Examples on the Web

Crews spent hours after the fire was out taking inventory and clearing out contaminated equipment. —Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026

This doctrine has been used in concern over contaminated water, lead paint in housing stock and opioid distribution networks. —Carolina Rossini, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2026

Its contaminated followers were one step removed from the beasts of the field. —Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026

Much of the last decade has been spent trying to stabilize the facility, containing radiation within the reactors and reducing the amount of contaminated water on site. —Yusuke Maekawa, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of contaminate

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for contaminated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated