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
Avoid sterile, clinical environments that can be intimidating.
—
Ajay Prasad, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The Pitt is set in Pittsburgh, not Chicago, and the season unfolds in real time, with overlapping crises ratcheting up tension as the cast careens around the sterile white set.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Everything While neutral tones have long been favored for creating bright and airy spaces, experts say all-white and gray interiors can feel sterile.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Her dance team performances were supplanted with physical therapy, and high school classrooms replaced with sterile examination rooms.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Ajay Prasad, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
The Pitt is set in Pittsburgh, not Chicago, and the season unfolds in real time, with overlapping crises ratcheting up tension as the cast careens around the sterile white set.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Everything While neutral tones have long been favored for creating bright and airy spaces, experts say all-white and gray interiors can feel sterile.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Her dance team performances were supplanted with physical therapy, and high school classrooms replaced with sterile examination rooms.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
-
So, why would an elite striker commit to two potentially barren years?—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The list includes mostly barren Antarctic islands with no imports or exports. 0:51 President Donald Trump's sweeping new set of tariffs impact friend and foe alike, but also on the list are uninhabited islands while some glaring omissions include Russia and Iran.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Non-tariff barriers include import barriers driven by licensing restrictions, unnecessarily restrictive quality standards on goods or technical regulations, sanitary measures that restrict trade without furthering safety objectives, and several other categories of restrictions.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Along with the streets, new storm and sanitary sewers are being installed, along with new sidewalks and a multi-use path.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share