as in contamination
something that is or that makes impure
concerned about adulterants in the town's water supply coming from the discharge from the factory
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Recent Examples of adulterant
Like many bath salts, NEP was often sold as Ecstasy or added to other drugs as an adulterant.
—
Jonathan Corum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Plenty of coffee drinkers enjoy medium or dark roasts, which tend to pair well with milk and other adulterants.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Other adulterants also pose potential risks, especially when consumed unknowingly.
—Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Some products have been found to have contaminants such as heavy metals, bacteria, or chemicals or adulterants not listed on the label.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 21 July 2025
In recent years, illicit drugs in the US have been cut with some high-profile and dangerous adulterants, such as the powerful veterinary sedative xylazine (aka tranq) and the yet more powerful veterinary sedative medetomidine.
—ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Soon, Wiley was releasing regular bulletins on food adulterants and advocating for national laws.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 1 May 2025
Often, a patchwork of public health experts and harm-reduction groups help test samples and educate people about dangerous new adulterants cycling through local drug supplies.
—Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025
Those tests have turned up a new adulterant: an industrial chemical known as BTMPS that is used in making plastics.
—Kate Kilpatrick, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Jonathan Corum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Plenty of coffee drinkers enjoy medium or dark roasts, which tend to pair well with milk and other adulterants.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Other adulterants also pose potential risks, especially when consumed unknowingly.
—Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Some products have been found to have contaminants such as heavy metals, bacteria, or chemicals or adulterants not listed on the label.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 21 July 2025
In recent years, illicit drugs in the US have been cut with some high-profile and dangerous adulterants, such as the powerful veterinary sedative xylazine (aka tranq) and the yet more powerful veterinary sedative medetomidine.
—ArsTechnica, 10 July 2025
Soon, Wiley was releasing regular bulletins on food adulterants and advocating for national laws.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 1 May 2025
Often, a patchwork of public health experts and harm-reduction groups help test samples and educate people about dangerous new adulterants cycling through local drug supplies.
—Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025
Those tests have turned up a new adulterant: an industrial chemical known as BTMPS that is used in making plastics.
—Kate Kilpatrick, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterant
Noun
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Water testing in October 2017 showed possible contamination in the water faucets, Gross said.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
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According to reports, while no major damage has been confirmed so far, the next 48 hours will be critical as manufacturers inspect cleanrooms, recalibrate sensitive lithography equipment, and assess whether operations can safely resume without risking yield losses or contamination.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sterile mixes prevent seed loss from soil contaminants, improve drainage, and have a fine texture easier for seeds to break through.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Even trace contaminants, sometimes from dust or building materials, can cause products to fail testing.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Engineers at Rice University have developed a dual-bacterial system that converts chemical signals directly into electrical output, creating a new type of bioelectronic sensor that could detect pollutants, health markers, and antibiotics using simple electrical readouts.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Apr. 2026
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An air purifier can also help filter out pollutants, Wargocki said.—
Kristen Fischer,
Health,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulterant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterant. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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