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
Cat Fancy2
: made unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements
Botulinum toxin is a highly lethal substance which causes death, even in developed countries, when contaminated food is improperly canned or stored.—John Laffin
John Laffin… the material could be used as a filter for cleaning contaminated drinking water.—Alexandra Goho
Alexandra GohoExamples of contaminated in a Sentence
the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply
Recent Examples on the Web
Troubled Factories: The medications came mostly from plants in India where inspectors found contaminated drugs, filthy labs and falsified records.
—Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica, 17 June 2025
The affidavit added that store employees were forced to throw out the contaminated cans, resulting in a loss of about $10,584.84 in goods.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 June 2025
For people who have decided to get a tattoo, here are six ways to reduce (some of) the tattoo health risks:
Choosing a licensed, reputable tattoo studio that follows strict hygiene protocols to reduce the risk of infection and contaminated inks.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
In addition to being inhaled directly, viruses can also land on surfaces and spread when someone touches a contaminated surface and then brushes their nose, eyes or mouth.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
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.
Debbie Cenziper, ProPublica, 17 June 2025
The affidavit added that store employees were forced to throw out the contaminated cans, resulting in a loss of about $10,584.84 in goods.
—Toria Sheffield, People.com, 15 June 2025
For people who have decided to get a tattoo, here are six ways to reduce (some of) the tattoo health risks:
Choosing a licensed, reputable tattoo studio that follows strict hygiene protocols to reduce the risk of infection and contaminated inks.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
In addition to being inhaled directly, viruses can also land on surfaces and spread when someone touches a contaminated surface and then brushes their nose, eyes or mouth.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Cite this Entry
“Contaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contaminated. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share