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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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
Michael Ruiz , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
After today, his legacy and his political future will forever be tainted and spoiled.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 May 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
The court ruled unanimously that Hill had irreparably tainted the proceedings against Murdaugh in his high-profile trial over the shooting deaths of his son, Paul, and wife, Maggie.
—Michael Ruiz , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 May 2026
After today, his legacy and his political future will forever be tainted and spoiled.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
Adjective
-
The measure was a face-off between supporters who said the community needed more housing and opponents who raised concerns about traffic, wildlife and polluted groundwater from a nearby former landfill.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
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The purifiers are part of the county’s effort to provide temporary relief to South Bay residents exposed to hydrogen sulfide from the polluted waterway while the United States and Mexico work to address infrastructure failures at a transboundary wastewater treatment facility.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The attack, which has been linked to a threat actor tracked as TeamPCP, poisoned the durabletask package after compromising Microsoft credentials for publishing the package.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
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Some believe that’s by design, that the show has been poisoned on purpose.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
There is an effort to dilute the high-pH water in ditches that was contaminated with the large amount of chemicals that spilled, officials said.—
Phil Helsel,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
-
The coal ash contaminated about 260 private wells and soil in dozens of the Town of Pines’ residential yards.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Spraying a diluted milk mixture directly onto the soil nourishes these microbes.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
31 May 2026
-
Add baking soda and diluted vinegar.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Last night, Tatis’ excellent game was marred by a play that should not have happened.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
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And despite the five-year time jump between Season Two and Season Three, Euphoria’s tentpole characters remained mired in the same troubles and destructive instincts that marred their high school days.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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Not every paramilitary fighter is stained by the corruption of the Shia elite or implicated in spilling innocent blood in recent years.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
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Nobody can resist a saucy, savory sloppy joe, but you're bound to leave a sloppy joe meal with at least one article of clothing stained.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.—
Dylan Tokar,
WSJ,
2 Feb. 2023
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And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.—
Nadia Kounang,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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