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

Diarrhea has been a headline story in the United States this summer, with thousands of cases of explosive diarrhea traced to Cyclospora from tainted lettuce –- and the first two deaths from the outbreak now confirmed in Michigan. — Joseph Kim, NPR, 7 Aug. 2026

Surveys of tainted products have also repeatedly found more than one undeclared active ingredient in the same capsule. — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Authorities say individuals have been detained as part of the investigation and warn that more of the tainted cocaine may have been sold in the area. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 31 July 2026

For Sysco, the linkup with Cisco provides a welcome distraction from the widening cyclosporiasis outbreak linked to tainted iceberg lettuce from Mexico that’s sickened thousands of people. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 28 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tainted

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