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
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
The latest adulterant to dominate the supply is medetomidine.
—Karen Alexander, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
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
The latest adulterant to dominate the supply is medetomidine.
—Karen Alexander, The Conversation, 26 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterant
Noun
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Even some homes that remain standing are unlivable due to smoke, ash and asbestos contamination.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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The project involves removing asbestos and lead contamination, updating the facilities to be compliant with accessibility laws, and upgrading electrical and ventilation systems.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Although lead is one of the most common and dangerous contaminants left behind after fires, federal and state disaster officials have traditionally tested soil for 17 toxic metals, including cancer-causing arsenic and toxic mercury.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Jan. 2026
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Indeed, topsoil — if successfully seeded with grass and left undisturbed — can generally limit exposure to backfill contaminants buried as far as six feet down, Schroeck and a Wayne State University engineer who works with soils said.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Semiconductor manufacturing requires huge amounts of ultra-clean water to rinse residue from silicon chips during the fabrication process, resulting in wastewater that contains pollutants, including heavy metals, which can be toxic to aquatic ecosystems and humans.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
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Now, its ability to do that for many air pollutants is under threat.—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulterant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterant. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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