tainted

adjective

taint·​ed ˈtān-təd 

: altered from a pure state or condition: such as

a

: contaminated by or as if by dirt, impurities, or harmful organisms

tainted food

Nearby residents typically want every shovelful of tainted soil dug up and shipped far, far away.

—Gregg Easterbrook

… federal health authorities identified an organic produce company … as a possible source of some of the tainted spinach.

—Julia Preston et al.

Viruses are often passed along to other computers via tainted files …

—J. D. Biersdorfer

b

: corrupted morally or ethically

a tainted victory

c

: damaged or spoiled by alteration from a correct or original state or form

tainted evidence

tainted testimony

Synonyms of tainted

• polluted
• contaminated
• diluted
• thinned
• dilute
• adulterated
• mixed
• blended

Examples of tainted in a Sentence

tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink

Recent Examples on the Web

Cyclosporiasis is an illness caused by a pathogen in tainted produce, which has already sickened thousands of Americans this summer. — Taylor Swinton, Washington Post, 17 July 2026

As part of the settlement, Latchford’s estate also forfeited a 7th-century bronze statue depicting the goddess Durga, alleged to have been stolen from Vietnam in 2008 and which Latchford allegedly purchased using tainted funds. — Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 16 July 2026

The foodborne illness possibly linked to tainted lettuce or salad greens may have sickened nearly 7,000 people so far, the CDC said Tuesday. — NBC news, 15 July 2026

In that case, a clear culprit was identified, and there were consequences for the company that produced the tainted meat, which has paid out millions in settlements. — Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tainted

• fainted
• painted
• sainted
• acquainted
• attainted
• repainted
• unpainted
• untainted
• unacquainted