as in contaminant
something that is or that makes impure
swimming in the lake is banned until the contamination is identified and neutralized
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Recent Examples of contamination
These ready-to-eat products had Listeria monocytogenes contamination, which can cause listeriosis and listeriosis poisoning.
—
Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
The Town of Campbell, outside of La Crosse, also discovered widespread PFAS contamination of private wells, likely stemming from the use of firefighting foam at the La Crosse Regional Airport, which inhabits a portion of the small island in between the Black and Mississippi Rivers.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
The recall was implemented after a customer notified the company about the possible contamination.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Letting Germs Spread in the Kitchen One common food safety pitfall is increasing the risk of cross-contamination in the kitchen, Ahmed Abdelhamid, PhD, an assistant professor in food microbiology at Michigan State University, told Health.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contamination
Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
The Town of Campbell, outside of La Crosse, also discovered widespread PFAS contamination of private wells, likely stemming from the use of firefighting foam at the La Crosse Regional Airport, which inhabits a portion of the small island in between the Black and Mississippi Rivers.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
The recall was implemented after a customer notified the company about the possible contamination.
—Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Letting Germs Spread in the Kitchen One common food safety pitfall is increasing the risk of cross-contamination in the kitchen, Ahmed Abdelhamid, PhD, an assistant professor in food microbiology at Michigan State University, told Health.
—Brian Mastroianni, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contamination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contamination
Noun
-
Crews worked continuously to prevent contaminants from entering rivers and local water supplies.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
-
But since onions grow underground, concerns about bacteria, dirt, or pesticide residue are valid, especially if those contaminants could transfer to your cutting board, knife, or directly onto your food while working with them.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
When air is stagnant, pollutants don't get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Colorado regulators are working on a new permitting system for five toxic air pollutants that will cost millions of dollars to implement — a plan that will need legislative approval during a tight budget year.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contamination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contamination. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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