as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.
—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Adjective
Corruption scandals have brought down several people in Zelensky’s inner circle, including his former business partner Timur Mindich and his long-time right-hand man Andriy Yermak, leading some observers to question whether Zelensky had a tendency to over-rely on tainted allies.
—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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
Verb
Some members of her party have pushed Sheinbaum to sever ties with Rocha Moya and other leaders suspected of links to organized crime, lest Morena be tainted by the allegations.
—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
What was once a poignant effort to extend a state of ingenuousness is now tainted from the start.
—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
Adjective
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Even then, after days of heavy rain, polluted lagoon water lapped at the edges of the city.
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There, Marlon must cross the polluted waters of the festering Guanabara Bay in search of a former commander turned messianic cult leader to stop the spread of their paramilitary group.
Verb
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If a pet is poisoned by a cane toad, there are some warning signs.
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The summer blockbuster, which premieres June 26, will follow Supergirl's three-day mission to obtain a cure for her superdog and friend, Krypto, who is poisoned by villainous alien Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
Verb
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Washing hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and/or possibly contaminated surfaces.
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You can also be exposed to the toxin by eating shellfish that have been contaminated with the toxin.
Adjective
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Then, water your plants as usual with the diluted banana water, or use it as a foliar spray on plant leaves.
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The net loss was $14 million, or 13 cents per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $15 million, or 13 cents per diluted share, in the prior year.
Verb
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Starmer is leaving after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.
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What immediately followed that bright June day were dark months marred by the state’s largest criminal investigation in history coming up empty, police questioning second graders for new leads and mounting legal battles among the Horman family grappling with utter devastation.
Adjective
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But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.
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Second, a dilute hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining lithium and the transition metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
Verb
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Opt for a material that’s white washed or stained for a farmhouse look.
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Crime scene technicians called in to help execute a search warrant reported observing blood spattered all over Mao’s bedroom, and a machete and two dumbbells stained with blood.
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.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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