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
Potting mix is sterile and free from weeds, pests, and pathogens.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
The fungicide, also known as DBCP, became notorious decades ago when male workers on Latin American banana plantations became sterile after the chemical was absorbed into their skin.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
When performing a cesarean delivery outside of an operating room, there is no sterile field preparation or surgical draping; antiseptic solution may simply be poured on the abdomen.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Bring in Living Greenery Plants bring life and freshness into a room that can otherwise feel sterile after a deep clean.
—Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
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Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
The fungicide, also known as DBCP, became notorious decades ago when male workers on Latin American banana plantations became sterile after the chemical was absorbed into their skin.
—Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
When performing a cesarean delivery outside of an operating room, there is no sterile field preparation or surgical draping; antiseptic solution may simply be poured on the abdomen.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
Bring in Living Greenery Plants bring life and freshness into a room that can otherwise feel sterile after a deep clean.
—Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 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 24 Apr. 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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