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 … 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
McKinney’s company was recently suspended from the city's demolition program for allegedly filling sites with contaminated dirt obtained from the redevelopment of Northland Mall.
—Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The new advisory follows recent testing in eastern Kennebec and western Waldo counties, which showed that deer and turkey sampled from areas near contaminated soil had PFAS concentrations in muscle tissue high enough to warrant a public health warning.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Aircraft manufacturers could also install air sensors on planes so that crew members know when contaminated air has entered a plane, safety advocates note.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
By transforming contaminated land into what scientists describe as self-cleaning biogeochemical reactors, the technology redefines how soil restoration can be achieved.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
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Violet Ikonomova, Freep.com, 5 Nov. 2025
The new advisory follows recent testing in eastern Kennebec and western Waldo counties, which showed that deer and turkey sampled from areas near contaminated soil had PFAS concentrations in muscle tissue high enough to warrant a public health warning.
—Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Aircraft manufacturers could also install air sensors on planes so that crew members know when contaminated air has entered a plane, safety advocates note.
—Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2025
By transforming contaminated land into what scientists describe as self-cleaning biogeochemical reactors, the technology redefines how soil restoration can be achieved.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 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 7 Nov. 2025.
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