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
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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
Guillaume Cabanac, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025
As a Senate aide early in his career, Zeller investigated a tainted L-tryptophan supplement that killed at least 30 people and sickened thousands in the U.S. in 1989.
—Arthur Allen, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024
The effects of drinking raw milk tainted with bird flu are still uncertain.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Adjective
Publishers, however, are often slow to retract tainted papers, even when alerted to obvious signs of fraud.
—Guillaume Cabanac, The Conversation, 29 Jan. 2025
As a Senate aide early in his career, Zeller investigated a tainted L-tryptophan supplement that killed at least 30 people and sickened thousands in the U.S. in 1989.
—Arthur Allen, CNN, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
But the appeals court said the appearance of a conflict still tainted Willis’ handling of the case.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 19 Dec. 2024
The effects of drinking raw milk tainted with bird flu are still uncertain.
—Katherine Hignett, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
Verb
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That number includes children, who represent 16 percent of those poisoned and 27 percent of all fatalities.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
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And guess what, hospitals are seeing cases of vitamin A toxicity — of kids poisoned by being fed too many vitamins instead of being vaccinated.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Amazing tales of dead spacecraft that came back to life Related: SpaceX launches secret US spy satellite on 19th anniversary of company's 1st-ever liftoff (video, photos) The HALO Trust has been working in Cambodia since the 1990s, helping to scour hundreds of square miles of contaminated land.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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In addition to food production, IEEE is developing ways to improve food safety by placing freshness sensors in packaging and using technologies such as blockchain to track contaminated food better so that only the affected food is recalled, reducing food wastage while protecting food supplies.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Lennon's notoriously troubled upbringing was marred by paternal abandonment, frequent moves, and the sudden death of those closest to him, including his estranged mother Julia.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Philip Morris smokes estimates Philip Morris International (PM) reported first-quarter results that exceeded expectations, with adjusted diluted earnings per share growing 12.7% to $1.69.—
Kevin Ryan,
Quartz,
23 Apr. 2025
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Net income was $646 million, or 34 cents per diluted share.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles.—
Liz Roth-Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
12 Feb. 2013
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However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute.—
George Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
8 July 2013
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
Adjective
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Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Monday as investors assessed China's promises to support domestic businesses as well as developments in trade negotiations between the U.S. and countries in the region.—
Amala Balakrishner,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2025
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Nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills, this park is home to two stunning groves of giant sequoias, surrounded by lush mixed conifer forests.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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