as in polluting
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 contaminating
The Food Packaging Forum keeps a research database on plastics contaminating food, including paper cups.
—
Matt Fuchs, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
State law prohibits coal from contaminating the state’s waters and imposes a $25,000 civil fine for each penalty.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
That may be evidence that profitable firms make money in part by contaminating the environment rather than paying for pollution prevention or cleanup.
—Jennifer Brodmann, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
That type of weedkiller controls all grasses without contaminating the soil.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
Cheryl Harris Gates, 43, of Charlotte, is also charged with contaminating food or drink to render one mentally incapacitated or physically helpless; stalking; and damage to property.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent studies show microplastics contaminating even the deepest ocean trenches, over 10,000 meters deep.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
To relieve the burning pain, people plunge the affected limb in streams or ponds, triggering the release of thousands of larvae and contaminating the water source.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
The government ignored Hamilton’s warning, and for 50 years lead spewed from every car’s tailpipe, contaminating the air, soil, and bodies of generations.
—Tom Frieden, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Matt Fuchs, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
State law prohibits coal from contaminating the state’s waters and imposes a $25,000 civil fine for each penalty.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 2025
That may be evidence that profitable firms make money in part by contaminating the environment rather than paying for pollution prevention or cleanup.
—Jennifer Brodmann, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2025
That type of weedkiller controls all grasses without contaminating the soil.
—Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Oct. 2025
Cheryl Harris Gates, 43, of Charlotte, is also charged with contaminating food or drink to render one mentally incapacitated or physically helpless; stalking; and damage to property.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent studies show microplastics contaminating even the deepest ocean trenches, over 10,000 meters deep.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2025
To relieve the burning pain, people plunge the affected limb in streams or ponds, triggering the release of thousands of larvae and contaminating the water source.
—Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
The government ignored Hamilton’s warning, and for 50 years lead spewed from every car’s tailpipe, contaminating the air, soil, and bodies of generations.
—Tom Frieden, Big Think, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contaminating
Verb
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The new material uses a common wood waste product to create a greener future for electronics, removing toxic metals and avoiding complex, polluting manufacturing methods.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Nov. 2025
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Solar Power to the Amazonian People Many riverside communities throughout the Amazon basin lack access to electricity and often depend on polluting kerosene lamps and diesel generators for light and power.—
Jeff Young,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In November 2024, an American citizen was among six tourists who died in Laos, where alcohol tainted with methanol was blamed for poisoning them.—
Jay Ganglani,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
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What about him specifically bothers you especially in terms of poisoning the youth?—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contaminating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contaminating. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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