sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsa-nə-ˌter-ē 
1
: of or relating to health
sanitary measures
2
: of, relating to, or used in the disposal especially of domestic waterborne waste
a sanitary sewer system
3
: characterized by or readily kept in cleanliness
sanitary packages
Examples of sanitary in a Sentence
the nurse made sure that everything in the room was sanitary so that the baby wouldn't get sick
Recent Examples on the Web
However, there are some important steps to take to make sure that the laundry is sanitary.
—
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Employers do not always offer bathroom breaks, meaning some women, particularly garment workers, don’t have time to get up from their workstation and change their sanitary pad, added Mahnoor.
—Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
According to Stella’s Girls, over 85% of girls in Africa lack access to sanitary pads, clean water and hygiene education.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Typical customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons of water would see an increase of about $28 per month, the release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanitary
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.
Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
Employers do not always offer bathroom breaks, meaning some women, particularly garment workers, don’t have time to get up from their workstation and change their sanitary pad, added Mahnoor.
—Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
According to Stella’s Girls, over 85% of girls in Africa lack access to sanitary pads, clean water and hygiene education.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
Typical customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons of water would see an increase of about $28 per month, the release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sanitary
Cite this Entry
“Sanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanitary. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of or relating to health : hygienic
sanitary laws
2
: free from filth, infection, or dangers to health
Medical Definition
sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of or relating to health
sanitary measures
2
: of, relating to, or used in the disposal especially of domestic waterborne waste
sanitary sewage
3
: characterized by or readily kept in cleanliness
sanitary food handling
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
