impure

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r How to pronounce impure (audio)
Definition of impurenext
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impure Curtain calls In 1900, more than 6,000 people in England were poisoned by beer that had been brewed using impure sulfuric acid containing arsenic. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025 This method combines impure raw silicon with pure aluminum, lowering the melting temperature compared to conventional polysilicon production. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2025 Women who are menstruating are traditionally not allowed to enter temple grounds, as it's considered impure in Balinese Hinduism. — Zahra Surya Darma, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 July 2025 The trash is heated to break it into crude, impure syngas, which is then zapped with plasma torches to further refine it. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Nov. 2011 See All Example Sentences for impure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impure
  1. polluted
  2. vulgar
  3. contaminated
  4. obscene
  5. dilute
  6. pornographic
  7. diluted
  8. foul
Adjective
  • If one neighborhood is highly polluted but nearby communities aren’t, county-level averages would show an overall low level of pollution – even though the more detailed information would reveal a major problem to be addressed in one particular area.
    — Mark Axelrod, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
  • Mayflies lay up to 10,000 eggs in the water, and their nymphs can't survive in water that is polluted.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026
Definition of polluted
Adjective
  • Suki, a vocal Black woman with an at times vulgar persona, whereas Althoff, a white woman, gained a reputation as an awkward, seemingly timid interviewer on her The Really Good Podcast.
    — Meagan Jordan, VIBE.com, 10 July 2026
  • Sean Goode, a former Canton police sergeant who was working the night of John O'Keefe's death and testified during the first Karen Read trial, allegedly sent dozens of vulgar text messages, according to an independent investigation.
    — Matt Schooley, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • Some of the ways a person can get infected is by drinking untreated water, washing or watering fresh produce with contaminated water, or swallowing contaminated water from swimming pools, hot tubs and lakes, according to Cleveland Clinic.
    — Michelle Marchante July 10, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
  • Mark Levine, the city's comptroller, said this current cluster of cases is from a contaminated cooling tower, and not a water system.
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of contaminated
Adjective
  • Jackson then allegedly drove over into another lane and swerved at the victim, while using an obscene hand gesture.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • The obscene pay of CEOs, growing 20 times as fast as workers’ pay last year, and the obscene wealth in the tech world, with money cascading into the hands of greedy billionaires who lack empathy or even noblesse oblige.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.
    — Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Definition of dilute
Adjective
  • Gibson asked for pornographic images of the minor, and sent photos of himself, according to court documents.
    — Kendrick Calfee June 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
  • While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.
    — Rachel del Guidice, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of pornographic
Adjective
  • If your oregano, mint, or other herbs have begun to flower, give them a hard haircut and a little diluted fertilizer.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026
  • By contrast, brewing coffee takes several minutes, resulting in a lighter, more diluted drink.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of diluted
Adjective
  • The foul call that wiped out Egypt’s second goal was poised to be a flashpoint moment from this match, particularly if Argentina was in position to come back to win.
    — NBC News, NBC news, 7 July 2026
  • After making all six of his shots and four of his free throws on Friday, Lendeborg was 0 for 4 from the field and missed both of his foul shots in the first half.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
Definition of foul

Browse Nearby Words

impunity
impure
impurely
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Cite this Entry

“Impure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impure. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of impure for Spanish Speakers

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