1
as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
be careful, because impure motor oil can damage your car's engine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
Victorian notions of what qualified as impure art now strike us as laughable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impure
This anti-establishment mindset translates to denim with dirty shades of indigo, impure neutrals and green casts, accented with pops of fiery red and pale yellow.
—
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 May 2025
According to some Buddhist scriptures, during Maya’s pregnancy the future Buddha never actually touched her womb, which was considered impure in early Indian Buddhism.
—Megan Bryson, The Conversation, 6 May 2025
Farmers or middlemen also frequently adulterated milk, watering it down to stretch supplies—with impure water likely to introduce further pathogens—or adding toxic substances, like formaldehyde or chalk, meant to conceal spoilage or make milk appear whiter.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
What was considered holy at one time was considered impure in other epochs.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impure
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 30 May 2025
According to some Buddhist scriptures, during Maya’s pregnancy the future Buddha never actually touched her womb, which was considered impure in early Indian Buddhism.
—Megan Bryson, The Conversation, 6 May 2025
Farmers or middlemen also frequently adulterated milk, watering it down to stretch supplies—with impure water likely to introduce further pathogens—or adding toxic substances, like formaldehyde or chalk, meant to conceal spoilage or make milk appear whiter.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
What was considered holy at one time was considered impure in other epochs.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impure
Adjective
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Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead of adding external chemicals or excavating polluted layers, the soil itself becomes a dynamic system capable of regenerating its quality over time.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Although the Ripken card launched many conspiracy theories as to whether the inclusion of its vulgar phrase was truly a mistake or a Fleer marketing ploy, there is a long history of errors making it through quality control in sports card production.—
Tyler Holzhammer,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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The joke swap during last year's Christmas episode went to some particularly jaw-dropping places after Che made Jost read a vulgar joke about Johansson.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Major soil removal underway Meerbott said restoring the park has become a priority as crews work to remove contaminated soil.—
Marybel Rodriguez,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Leptospirosis can also be found in contaminated water or soil and is spread by rodents.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Banners containing commercial, political or obscene material, or that block guest views.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
4 Nov. 2025
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Just another week in the world of Ball, who was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ 144-117 loss to Miami.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Nov. 2025
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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Until then, the only limits on their selections were Vimeo’s standard terms of service, which prohibit content that incites violence or qualifies as pornographic.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
22 Dec. 2025
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Under a new law, Florida began requiring age verification checks for visitors to pornographic websites, notes Paul Bischoff, editor of Comparitech, a site that reviews personal cybersecurity software.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Net profit fell to $51 million, or 40 cents per diluted share, from $189 million in the year-earlier quarter.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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If peppers bloom, hand-pollinate the flowers with an old makeup brush, and lightly feed your plants with a diluted application of organic liquid fertilizer.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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With about six minutes remaining in the second half, fans reacted unfavorably to a foul call against Spartans forward Jaxson Kohler.—
Devon Henderson,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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But the Warriors were unable to also overcome Curry piling up four fourth-quarter fouls, which led to his first foul-out since 2021.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impure. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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