impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ə-tē 
plural impurities
1
: something that is impure or makes something else impure
removing impurities from water
2
: the quality or state of being impure
Examples of impurity in a Sentence
the impurity of the water
The syrup is strained to remove impurities.
The water is free of impurities.
Recent Examples on the Web
Issues include the potential for impurities in the products, possible immune reactions and a lack of safety warnings on labels.
—
Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Purity, impurity, and the laws and rituals designed to manage the boundary between them — these are the cornerstone concerns of the Book of Leviticus, the third book of the Old Testament.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Existing extraction methods cannot scale quickly enough or reach many lithium-rich brines that contain impurities or low concentrations.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
The dense jelly face balm transforms into a milky cleanser that dissolves makeup, SPF, and impurities.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impurity
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Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
Purity, impurity, and the laws and rituals designed to manage the boundary between them — these are the cornerstone concerns of the Book of Leviticus, the third book of the Old Testament.
—Natalia Winkelman, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Existing extraction methods cannot scale quickly enough or reach many lithium-rich brines that contain impurities or low concentrations.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026
The dense jelly face balm transforms into a milky cleanser that dissolves makeup, SPF, and impurities.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impurity
Cite this Entry
“Impurity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impurity. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē
plural impurities
1
: the quality or state of being impure
2
: something that is impure or that makes impure
remove impurities from water
Medical Definition
impurity
noun
im·pu·ri·ty
(ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇r-ət-ē
plural impurities
: something that is impure or makes something else impure
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