tainted 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtān-təd How to pronounce tainted (audio)
Definition of taintednext
as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink

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tainted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of taint
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

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tainted
Adjective
The group turned its attention to Samoa in July 2018, when two young children died after being given a tainted MMR vaccine that had been improperly prepared. — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Salmonella outbreak linked to tainted jalapeños isn’t over The CDC reported more than 400 cases in 32 states, although the number of illnesses is likely to be much higher. — Jane Weaver, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
That means if the sewage system backs up, the sink could be tainted. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026 Hahn told the Observer in 2020 that the scandal tainted televangelism broadly. — Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
  1. polluted
  2. poisoned
  3. contaminated
  4. diluted
  5. marred
  6. dilute
  7. stained
  8. adulterated
Adjective
  • New Delhi and its metropolitan region, home to more than 30 million people, regularly rank among the world’s most polluted areas during winter.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Generations of Black children lived, learned, and played on the polluted land.
    — Yona Gavino, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of polluted
Verb
  • Morison’s followers called themselves Hygeists and attacked physicians as a monopoly that bled and poisoned its patients, which was not inaccurate in the 1830s.
    — Jim Downs, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Two young men were arraigned Wednesday for fentanyl distribution conspiracy after a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology was fatally poisoned and another nearly died.
    — Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of poisoned
Verb
  • Test results presented in recent wrongful death lawsuits suggest that a natural kratom powder product, used by somebody who died after taking it, was likely contaminated with MGPI.
    — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 6 Nov. 2026
  • This waste will be separated into bags, rather than leaving it loose in the aisles, where it often gets contaminated before it can be collected.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of contaminated
Adjective
  • The crowd gave a relatively diluted response, and then the cameras panned to several Warriors players who appeared to be laughing.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Researchers place powdered magnet waste in an electrochemical cell, where an electrolyte such as diluted sulfuric acid provides the medium for chemical reactions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of diluted
Verb
  • Similar allegations have marred prominent high school football programs in Southern California in recent years.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The unveiling event itself was marred when Musk tried to prove that its windows were shatterproof by having metal balls thrown at them - only to leave massive cracks in two of them.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of marred
Adjective
  • Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
  • Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of dilute
Verb
  • Donning a pink skirt suit and matching pillbox hat stained with fake blood, Fox stepped out as the former First Lady during an event for Urban Decay.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The sculptures were frequently stained with graphite or chalk dust, whose force of presence was comparable to that of cliff or cave, capable of stunning the viewer into silence.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • Navarro, who pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in August, was sentenced Friday in Manhattan by federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil for being part of a conspiracy to distribute and administer adulterated and misbranded drugs for racehorses.
    — Stephen Edelson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2021
Definition of adulterated

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Cite this Entry

“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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