tainted

adjective

taint·​ed ˈtān-təd 

: altered from a pure state or condition: such as

a

: contaminated by or as if by dirt, impurities, or harmful organisms

tainted food

Nearby residents typically want every shovelful of tainted soil dug up and shipped far, far away.

—Gregg Easterbrook

… federal health authorities identified an organic produce company … as a possible source of some of the tainted spinach.

—Julia Preston et al.

Viruses are often passed along to other computers via tainted files …

—J. D. Biersdorfer

b

: corrupted morally or ethically

a tainted victory

c

: damaged or spoiled by alteration from a correct or original state or form

tainted evidence

tainted testimony

Synonyms of tainted

• polluted
• contaminated
• diluted
• thinned
• dilute
• adulterated
• mixed
• blended

Examples of tainted in a Sentence

tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink

Recent Examples on the Web

Clostridium botulinum can be unevenly spread throughout powdered formula, so not all babies who consume a tainted product will fall ill, according to medical experts. —Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025

The Dohertys are in close proximity to dozens of properties with tainted wells. —Sean Patrick Cooper, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2025

By the early 1930s, widespread crime, tainted liquor and the need for tax revenue fueled public dissatisfaction, ultimately leading to Prohibition’s repeal in 1933 and the return of regulated barrooms. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Since Valentine’s Day 2023, a civil lawsuit regarding the incident was resolved, according to the restaurant, which said individuals responsible for serving the tainted drink were fired. —Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tainted

• fainted
• painted
• sainted
• acquainted
• attainted
• repainted
• unpainted
• untainted
• unacquainted