as in pollutes
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
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Recent Examples of contaminates
Owners of a dozen coal ash ponds across Indiana have even more time to clean up utility waste environmental advocates have long been saying contaminates the state’s water.
—
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Feb. 2026
These cards may contain batteries or nonrecyclable material that contaminates other paper.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
Leached water from textile waste in landfills contaminates groundwater with harmful chemicals and dyes, which can alter the pH and clarity of surface water.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 17 Feb. 2026
These cards may contain batteries or nonrecyclable material that contaminates other paper.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2025
Leached water from textile waste in landfills contaminates groundwater with harmful chemicals and dyes, which can alter the pH and clarity of surface water.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contaminates
Verb
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Climate change, industrial pollution, inadequate sanitation that pollutes drinking water sources with human waste — these are all factors in the water crisis.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
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For example, forum participants said a person could sue a company or entity that pollutes a river because the river has the right to be pollution-free.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sensing Scarlet’s resolve to destroy him, Claudius poisons her.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contaminates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contaminates. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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