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
Did the original idea for the Jor-El and Lara twist come from your reading of the John Byrne comic run where Krypton was cold and sterile, and Clark embraced Earth over Krypton?
—
Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
When Carol was revealed to be sterile, viewers were outraged.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 20 July 2025
Hospitals were able to replenish their supplies of antibiotics, sterile gauze, analgesics, and surgical equipment.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 19 July 2025
Too much centralization results in sterile messaging that doesn’t resonate.
—Rebecca Colwell, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
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Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
When Carol was revealed to be sterile, viewers were outraged.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 20 July 2025
Hospitals were able to replenish their supplies of antibiotics, sterile gauze, analgesics, and surgical equipment.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 19 July 2025
Too much centralization results in sterile messaging that doesn’t resonate.
—Rebecca Colwell, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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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