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
Recently, 26 previously unknown bacterial species were discovered in NASA clean rooms — some of the most sterile places humanity has built, designed to prevent spacecraft from carrying unwanted microbes to other planetary bodies.
—
Andrew Jones, Space.com, 21 May 2025
Why does every waiting room look like some sterile IKEA?
—Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Of long drives and sterile sheets, trapped in tiny spaces with your thoughts.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
With a score that includes staccato human voices crying out, Ben moves through the sterile indoor world of a leisure center, often resembling a lonely gunslingers thanks to the Widescreen aspect ratio.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Andrew Jones, Space.com, 21 May 2025
Why does every waiting room look like some sterile IKEA?
—Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Of long drives and sterile sheets, trapped in tiny spaces with your thoughts.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 May 2025
With a score that includes staccato human voices crying out, Ben moves through the sterile indoor world of a leisure center, often resembling a lonely gunslingers thanks to the Widescreen aspect ratio.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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The festival was deliberately planned for the barren weeks in June after college students left and before the summer concert and festival season kicked in.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
25 May 2025
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The Bureau’s new research station on Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano, with its high altitude and barren landscape, would prove to be the ideal collection spot.—
Ashley Braun,
Smithsonian Magazine,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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Each kit contains 14 essential items, including soap, shampoo, reusable sanitary pads, toothbrushes and toothpaste, nail clippers, towels and water storage containers.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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In other words, a lack of sanitary and dependable water systems can jeopardize lives which may deter utilities from partnering with water technology startups, no matter how innovative and cost-effective their solution may be.—
Jamil Wyne,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
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