as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in poisoned
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
criticism of her sister's singing that was tainted by envy a tendency toward conceitedness taints the athlete's status as a role model
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in contaminated
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
smog has long tainted the air of the city, making it difficult to breathe
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tainted
Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
The severity of the damage usually depends on how much of the tainted gas drivers pumped, Inslee said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Defense attorneys unsuccessfully attempted to have the trial moved out of Sacramento, saying years of news coverage following the shooting had irreparably tainted prospective jurors.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Adjective
Chinese officials blamed the tainted test results on chemically altered food the athletes had consumed at the time.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 6 Feb. 2026
The severity of the damage usually depends on how much of the tainted gas drivers pumped, Inslee said.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
And you’re also reminded that such things are still tainted, even if the movie twists itself into knots to circumvent such thinking, and the level of innocence required to listen to those hits is long gone.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
Defense attorneys unsuccessfully attempted to have the trial moved out of Sacramento, saying years of news coverage following the shooting had irreparably tainted prospective jurors.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
Adjective
-
Warning signs along the shoreline caution that exposure could lead to illness as polluted runoff enters the Pacific Ocean.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
-
Northern India already has some of the world’s most polluted air, created by a toxic mix of vehicle and industrial emissions, crop residue burning, and construction dust.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
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The latter activity gives them some solid ground to plant their hooves on when George abruptly turns up dead one morning, poisoned by an unknown suspect.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Use safe cleaning practices in areas contaminated by rodents.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The move comes after Utz was alerted that a flavor seasoning containing dry milk powder (supplied by a third-party carrier) could be contaminated with salmonella.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The company brought in diluted earnings of 3 cents per share, compared with a diluted loss per share of 81 cents for the year-ago period.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
-
Potted zucchini do better with diluted applications of liquid fertilizer applied at regular intervals.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The entire proceedings have been marred by tragedy since the exhibition’s artistic director, Koyo Kouoh, died suddenly of liver cancer in early 2025, leaving her staff to complete the last year of work.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
5 May 2026
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The Australian Jewish Association welcomed the report’s release but said it was marred by failing to address the form of antisemitic extremism said to have motivated the Bondi Beach shooters.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Look for bins that are not coated or stained with toxic finishes.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
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On TikTok, short videos often show people traveling to Turkey to fix their uneven or stained teeth and transform their smiles.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.—
Paul M. Sutter,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
-
Second, a dilute hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining lithium and the transition metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
We are spoiled for choice in this town.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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Suddenly, and very publicly, Russian officials appeared nervous, afraid that their parade would be spoiled.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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