1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
believed that luxury vitiates even the most principled person
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to mar
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
numerous grammatical errors vitiate the effectiveness of your writing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
a penchant for coarse language vitiates what is otherwise a refined literary style
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vitiate
Just as Sadat’s Jerusalem journey shocked the Carter administration out of its misguided approach, a public rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia may be the only move that could both mitigate and possibly even vitiate U.S.-Iranian negotiations.
—
Gabriel Scheinmann, Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2015
Obviously this does not vitiate the whole enterprise of poetry.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 2025
Such words are verbal roadblocks that not only vitiate the meaning of your message but worse, obscure its clarity.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Older now, and vitiated by the injuries sustained during the attempt on his life, Sliwa was nonetheless imposing.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vitiate
Gabriel Scheinmann, Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2015
Obviously this does not vitiate the whole enterprise of poetry.
—Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 6 May 2025
Such words are verbal roadblocks that not only vitiate the meaning of your message but worse, obscure its clarity.
—Jerry Weissman, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Older now, and vitiated by the injuries sustained during the attempt on his life, Sliwa was nonetheless imposing.
—Kent Russell, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vitiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vitiate
Verb
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Since Do’s bribery scandal emerged, the county ordered a forensic audit of contracts he was involved with to see if more might be tainted.—
Michael Slaten,
Oc Register,
13 Aug. 2025
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Moreover, any political revisions of employment numbers long accepted as accurate by key users will taint confidence in other data series.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
10 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Both votes were marred by what prosecutors said was a massive vote-buying scheme orchestrated by Shor, who has spent much of his time in Russia since he was convicted for his role in the 2014 theft of $1 billion from Moldovan banks.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
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Those series of plays were marred by two false starts...—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Although Israel did not fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities, its air campaign delayed, degraded, and deterred Iran’s ambitions, and further transformed the Middle East’spolitical landscape.—
DAVID A. DEPTULA,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Aug. 2025
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They are also believed to degrade water quality, which can hurt sensitive organisms like freshwater mussels.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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Three people are dead and 10 are injured after multiple shooters opened fire in a New York City lounge, the New York City Police Department says.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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With Ter Stegen injured and the returning Wojciech Szczesny not yet registered either, having signed a new contract in July after his initial short-term from last September expired.—
Laia Cervelló Herrero,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For Trump, whose political brand has long relied on projecting authenticity to his base, a sustained decline in honesty ratings could weaken his ability to roll out his agenda.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Trump has poisoned those relationships through his intemperate demands and threats.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
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Given the scale of the U.S.'s deficits, the patient may already be poisoned.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Only one public building was damaged in Lincoln, according to Chief of Staff Rhonda Hulse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Aug. 2025
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Extreme heat in 2023 had damaged the quality of rice, causing an acute shortage last year that was exacerbated by the government’s misreading of supply and demand.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vitiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vitiate. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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