contaminated

1 of 2

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

contaminated

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of contaminate

Synonyms of contaminated

Adjective

• polluted
• thinned
• diluted
• dilute
• tainted

Examples of contaminated in a Sentence

Adjective

the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

To break the chains of infections stemming from contaminated needles, Soqo has proposed supplying thousands of sterile needles and syringes to communities of methamphetamine users. — David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026

After our investigation, my colleagues and I published a paper describing the anthrax cases from contaminated mail. — Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 26 Sep. 2026

The arbitrator also concluded that neither the ITIA nor the WTA Tour had a duty to warn players about contaminated meat. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Raw chicken juice cross-contaminated onto raw squid when an employee stacked a container of raw chicken on top of the squid container. — Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of contaminate

First Known Use

Adjective

1576, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for contaminated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated