1
a
: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores
b
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
c
: incapable of germinating
sterile spores
d
of a flower
: neither perfect nor pistillate
2
a
: unproductive of vegetation
a sterile arid region
b
: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms
a sterile syringe
c
: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless
a sterile work of art
Examples of sterile in a Sentence
a sterile dressing for a wound
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children
Recent Examples on the Web
Gone are the days of matchy-matchy sets, sterile millennial greige, and stark black-and-white color palettes.
—
Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Additionally, since potting soil is rarely completely sterile and usually contains some moisture when packaged, this moisture can promote the growth of mold, fungus, or anaerobic bacteria, especially in moist or humid conditions.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
But as Eric, Harper Stern (Myha’la), Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela), and Rishi Ramdani (Sagar Radia) swapped sterile corporate bullpens for chic offices, five-star hotel suites, country estates, and even jail cells, the sounds of their worlds turned heavier and darker.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2026
The sterile slats seemed to suck the energy out of all our spaces, but nowhere more than in the living room, where an enormous window dressed in cracking plastic anchored the main wall.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
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Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Additionally, since potting soil is rarely completely sterile and usually contains some moisture when packaged, this moisture can promote the growth of mold, fungus, or anaerobic bacteria, especially in moist or humid conditions.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
But as Eric, Harper Stern (Myha’la), Yasmin Kara-Hanani (Marisa Abela), and Rishi Ramdani (Sagar Radia) swapped sterile corporate bullpens for chic offices, five-star hotel suites, country estates, and even jail cells, the sounds of their worlds turned heavier and darker.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2026
The sterile slats seemed to suck the energy out of all our spaces, but nowhere more than in the living room, where an enormous window dressed in cracking plastic anchored the main wall.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl 
1
: not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile
sterile soil
2
: free from microscopic living things and especially germs (as bacteria and viruses)
a sterile dressing for a wound
Medical Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl
1
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
compare infertile
2
: free from living organisms and especially microorganisms
a sterile syringe
a sterile cyst
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