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

People can get sick after breathing in contaminated particles that get stirred into the air, especially while cleaning or spending time in places where rodents have been active, like sheds, garages, barns, cabins and storage areas. —Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026

Per Mayo Clinic, Salmonella is a bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract and typically infects people through contaminated water or food. —Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 7 May 2026

Both options are naturally gluten-free, but oats are more likely to be cross-contaminated with gluten. —Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 4 May 2026

These risks are linked to prolonged contact with contaminated water, compounded by limited access to sanitation and healthcare. —Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 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