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
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Recent Examples of impure
What was considered holy at one time was considered impure in other epochs.
—
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
In any case, playing Bach on a concert grand is an inherently impure act; Bach knew of no such instrument.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
In any case, playing Bach on a concert grand is an inherently impure act; Bach knew of no such instrument.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Two major developments in the mid-1800s showed why impure water is dangerous.
—Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impure
Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harpers Magazine, 26 Mar. 2025
In any case, playing Bach on a concert grand is an inherently impure act; Bach knew of no such instrument.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
In any case, playing Bach on a concert grand is an inherently impure act; Bach knew of no such instrument.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
Two major developments in the mid-1800s showed why impure water is dangerous.
—Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impure
Adjective
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By The Athletic’s count, over nine innings during the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Mets, those fans aimed the same vulgar chant at Soto a whopping 38 times.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
Because at the time, Madonna was seen as this controversial and sort of vulgar character.—
Terry Gross,
NPR,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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Bruner theorizes the worms and their eggs are being moved through contaminated soil, mulch and compost.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
16 July 2025
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During a flood, avoid floodwaters and move to higher ground immediately; after a flood, avoid contaminated water and wait for authorities to declare the area safe.—
Mariyam Muhammad,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.—
Meg Leta Jones,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
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Lawsuit alleges 'obscene' government overreach Longo's lawsuit, filed in Chemung County, New York, names the county, the city of Elmira and several DEC officers as defendants.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles.—
Liz Roth-Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
12 Feb. 2013
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However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute.—
George Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
8 July 2013
Adjective
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Target’s first-quarter net earnings increased 10 percent to $1 billion, or $2.27 a diluted share, with a boost from litigation settlements.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
28 July 2025
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Some lower chamber lawmakers are already grumbling about the possibility of receiving a diluted version of the bill.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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The foul was upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 2, resulting in an automatic ejection for Banks.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
21 July 2025
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The other is a red panda named Bad Rudi with a penchant for foul language.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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That version of Boldy — the skilled scorer not afraid to go to the dirty areas — had superstar qualities and scored some big-time goals.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
31 July 2025
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Another is to use one of the brand's sprays and spritz the dirty surface, wipe it down, then rinse with water.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.—
Dylan Tokar,
WSJ,
2 Feb. 2023
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And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.—
Nadia Kounang,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Impure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impure. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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