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
The company’s approach is based on the sterile insect technique, a scientific method that has been used for decades to control agricultural pests and disease-carrying insects.
—
Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
The Texas investment comes on top of an additional $21 million investment to convert an existing facility in Metapa, Mexico, into an NWS sterile fly dispersal facility.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 2 June 2026
According to Fontaine, the experiment demonstrated that sterile soil supports a flow of electrons indicative of processes that resemble the oxygen-dependent metabolism of the Krebs cycle.
—Siddhant Pusdekar, Quanta Magazine, 1 June 2026
Using sharp, sterile scissors, cut a petiole about 1 inch below the leaf.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
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Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
The Texas investment comes on top of an additional $21 million investment to convert an existing facility in Metapa, Mexico, into an NWS sterile fly dispersal facility.
—Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 2 June 2026
According to Fontaine, the experiment demonstrated that sterile soil supports a flow of electrons indicative of processes that resemble the oxygen-dependent metabolism of the Krebs cycle.
—Siddhant Pusdekar, Quanta Magazine, 1 June 2026
Using sharp, sterile scissors, cut a petiole about 1 inch below the leaf.
—Lauren David, Martha Stewart, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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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