1
as in barren
not able to produce fruit or offspring
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children the apple tree turned out to be sterile, never yielding a crop of apples
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sanitary
free from filth, infection, or dangers to health
the hospitals in the war-torn city often lack necessary drugs and sterile surgical supplies
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Recent Examples of sterile
That structure was built in the 1950s and feels sterile and outdated.
—
Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Jan. 2026
Beyond weapons diagnostics, the setup could enable studies of sterile neutrinos, axions, or unexplained anomalies seen in reactor antineutrino spectra.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Once popular, this shade now feels cold and sterile—a reality that many had to face during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 28 Jan. 2026
The Loma Linda review emphasized that animals must be specifically trained for therapy use, supervised by a handler, and kept out of sterile zones during certain procedures.
—Henry I. Miller, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Bebe Hodges, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Jan. 2026
Beyond weapons diagnostics, the setup could enable studies of sterile neutrinos, axions, or unexplained anomalies seen in reactor antineutrino spectra.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Once popular, this shade now feels cold and sterile—a reality that many had to face during the Covid-19 pandemic.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 28 Jan. 2026
The Loma Linda review emphasized that animals must be specifically trained for therapy use, supervised by a handler, and kept out of sterile zones during certain procedures.
—Henry I. Miller, STAT, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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The Leafs’ priority at the trade deadline must be restocking their barren cupboards with high draft picks and intriguing prospects.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
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In 2016, a team led by Su Yinquan, dean of forestry at Northwest A&F University, leased 14 hectares of barren Gobi land in Xinjiang to test whether Duzhong could survive and grow there.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Typical customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons of water would see an increase of about $28 per month, the release said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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Stalls with overflowing sewage, exposed wires, no sanitary sinks in the kitchen, pests and vermin and alleged asbestos were among the concerns the community detailed during a presentation in mid 2024.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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