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
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
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
-
The Cape Fear River supplies drinking water to more than 500,000 residents, but contamination from the expansion project would disproportionately harm people in low-income and minority populations.—
Patrick Sisson,
Scientific American,
9 Mar. 2026
-
From small towns along the Mississippi to suburban cities like Crest Hill, the drinking water of more than 400,000 Illinoisans is at risk of contamination.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Rugs enhance the decor, protect surfaces from damage, and outdoor mats help trap dirt, pesticides, and other contaminants from entering your home.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
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That testing not only helps ensure bioavailability and efficacy, but also tests for purity, potency, and contaminants.—
Brianna Peters,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Those guardrails are in place because air pollutants that come from the generators, like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and ‘fine particulate matter’ are known to cause lung and heart health issues when inhaled.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
-
More recent air news New research suggests some air pollutants can significantly alter insect behavior, science journalist Gennaro Tomma writes in National Geographic.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adulterant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterant. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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