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
The kitchen is a sterile-looking galley with a pass-through; the bathroom leans heavy on the marble, but the vanity is nice.
—
Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
For another neutral white that doesn't feel overtly sterile or boring, Ayala is championing Cloud White.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Without the tactile appearance of carpet, the floors of our homes can easily look too sterile.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Using this technique, the government is breeding sterile, non-infected, male flies at a facility in Panama.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 23 Feb. 2026
For another neutral white that doesn't feel overtly sterile or boring, Ayala is championing Cloud White.
—Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 17 Feb. 2026
Without the tactile appearance of carpet, the floors of our homes can easily look too sterile.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 16 Feb. 2026
Using this technique, the government is breeding sterile, non-infected, male flies at a facility in Panama.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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Subjecting them to extreme conditions–from the 14,000-foot ascent of Pikes Peak to the barren deserts of the Rebelle Rally.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
27 Feb. 2026
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These include wintergreen, golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum), and barren strawberry.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Great Lakes Water Authority, which manages water and sanitary sewer service for dozens of Southeast Michigan communities, has announced wholesale utility rate hikes starting in July.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
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It’s said that after the last ice age, chows’ ancestors made their way down to the villages around the Yangtze River, seizing a world of opportunity in the calorie bonanzas provided by humans’ waste dumps and self-electing as sanitary engineers.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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