as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in poisoned
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
a supply of drinking water that was contaminated by a toxic waste dump
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contaminated
Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
The funding places the Salisbury-area project within a broader statewide effort to address PFAS, a class of chemicals increasingly found in public water systems, particularly in rural communities, as Maryland officials move to replace or treat contaminated supplies.
—Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The storm moved through the islands earlier last week, bringing heavy rainfall and runoff that has kept coastal waters contaminated in several areas, the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch said.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Adjective
People most at risk of health issues from PFAS include young children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those who live in contaminated areas, or people — like firefighters or chemical manufacturers — who are exposed to PFAS on the job.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
The funding places the Salisbury-area project within a broader statewide effort to address PFAS, a class of chemicals increasingly found in public water systems, particularly in rural communities, as Maryland officials move to replace or treat contaminated supplies.
—Josh Davis, Baltimore Sun, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
City officials were urging residents to avoid contact with floodwater, which may be contaminated or contain hazardous debris.
—Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 2026
The storm moved through the islands earlier last week, bringing heavy rainfall and runoff that has kept coastal waters contaminated in several areas, the Hawaii Department of Health Clean Water Branch said.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for contaminated
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contaminated
Adjective
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Such assurances are unlikely to quell the community’s decades-long experience with polluted runoff, however, and small farmers say that runoff could also present a food safety problem and threaten to set back years of organic farming practices.—
Thomas Heaton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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State officials issued islandwide brown water advisories for Oahu and Maui after storms sent polluted runoff into coastal waters.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Weinstein’s lawyers have argued that his New York conviction last year was poisoned by bad blood among jurors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Could Ty Jones, whose autopsy said the 33-year-old died of heart issues, have been poisoned too?—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Kondrat also recommends using diluted fertilizer throughout an orchid’s life, not just when starting a new plant.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Apr. 2026
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Spray the area with the diluted vinegar and water mixture, and wipe it clean with a damp cloth to remove any residue.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Second, a dilute hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining lithium and the transition metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
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For example, Wilson’s team is exploring whether dilute acids speed up weathering.—
Robert F. Service,
Science | AAAS,
3 Sep. 2020
Adjective
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While Liang seeks to distance the company from the tainted elements, Supermicro’s longer-term fate may hinge on whether Nvidia stays close or decides to keep its distance.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
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The case has it all — backroom deals, bribes, tainted legislation, dark money contributions — even the suicide of a prominent official at the center of the scandal.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contaminated. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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