1
as in barren
not able to produce fruit or offspring
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children the apple tree turned out to be sterile, never yielding a crop of apples
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sanitary
free from filth, infection, or dangers to health
the hospitals in the war-torn city often lack necessary drugs and sterile surgical supplies
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sterile
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was joined by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and other officials on Saturday, June 27, in Metapa, Mexico, to open a 22,000-square-foot facility capable of producing sterile flies to combat the parasitic fly.
—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Designer Lauren Saab chooses White Dove for a softness that never feels sterile or flat.
—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
28 June 2026
Then Algeria, after so much sterile possession, finally went for it, and Mahrez scored in the third minute of stoppage time.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
28 June 2026
Talc litigation also shows why juries do not evaluate causation in a sterile scientific vacuum.
—
Alex Smolak,
STAT,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Designer Lauren Saab chooses White Dove for a softness that never feels sterile or flat.
—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
28 June 2026
Then Algeria, after so much sterile possession, finally went for it, and Mahrez scored in the third minute of stoppage time.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
28 June 2026
Talc litigation also shows why juries do not evaluate causation in a sterile scientific vacuum.
—
Alex Smolak,
STAT,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
-
The fires eviscerated many of the plants and trees in and around the burn zones, leaving behind barren lots and charred swaths of parkland.
-
There are quite a few interesting options this summer, especially compared to last year’s barren goalie landscape that was headlined by veteran backups.
Adjective
-
Here's what our pros recommend for dusting your bedroom to keep it sanitary and easy to breathe in.
-
It is treated similar to sanitary waste.
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
