contaminated
adjective
con·tam·i·nat·ed
kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnā-təd 
1
: soiled, stained, corrupted, or infected by contact or association
a contaminated wound
Urine and feces of infected cats and contaminated clothing, bedding, food bowls or toys are also possible modes of transmission.—
Cat Fancy
Cat Fancy2
: made unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements
Botulinum toxin is a highly lethal substance which causes death, even in developed countries, when contaminated food is improperly canned or stored.—John Laffin
John Laffin… the material could be used as a filter for cleaning contaminated drinking water.—Alexandra Goho
Alexandra GohoExamples of contaminated in a Sentence
the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply
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The HALO Trust has been working in Cambodia since the 1990s, helping to scour hundreds of square miles of contaminated land.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 29 Apr. 2025
In addition to food production, IEEE is developing ways to improve food safety by placing freshness sensors in packaging and using technologies such as blockchain to track contaminated food better so that only the affected food is recalled, reducing food wastage while protecting food supplies.
—Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The cleanup required lakes to be drained and contaminated soil, which had seeped more than 9 feet (3 meters) deeper than expected, to be piled and heated to break down the dioxin molecules.
—Pamela McElwee, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2025
The supplier voluntarily recalled the onion products at fault, and the FDA cautioned the public about the contaminated yellow onions, which were being served on McDonald’s hamburgers.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
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Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 29 Apr. 2025
In addition to food production, IEEE is developing ways to improve food safety by placing freshness sensors in packaging and using technologies such as blockchain to track contaminated food better so that only the affected food is recalled, reducing food wastage while protecting food supplies.
—Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
The cleanup required lakes to be drained and contaminated soil, which had seeped more than 9 feet (3 meters) deeper than expected, to be piled and heated to break down the dioxin molecules.
—Pamela McElwee, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2025
The supplier voluntarily recalled the onion products at fault, and the FDA cautioned the public about the contaminated yellow onions, which were being served on McDonald’s hamburgers.
—Malia Mendez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Cite this Entry
“Contaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contaminated. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
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