insanitary

1 of 2

adjective

in·​san·​i·​tary (ˌ)in-ˈsa-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
Synonyms of insanitarynext
: unclean enough to endanger health : contaminated
insanitation
in-ˌsa-nə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
noun

insanitation

2 of 2

noun

in·​sanitation (¦)in How to pronounce insanitation (audio)
ən+
: lack of sanitation : careless or dangerous hygienic conditions

Examples of insanitary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Full article: Wisconsin bottler recalls over 600K water bottles for 'insanitary' packaging Frozen blueberries More than 55,000 pounds of frozen blueberries sold in four states – including Wisconsin – were recalled Feb. 12 due to listeria contamination concerns. — Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 2 Mar. 2026 The company issued the recall because the shrimp may have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with cesium-137 (Cs-137). — Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2025 Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces. — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025 In a civil complaint filed Sept. 27 in federal court, authorities allege that Rizo Lopez Foods violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act at the company’s facility in Modesto by manufacturing and distributing food products that have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for insanitary

Word History

Etymology

Noun

in- entry 1 + sanitation

First Known Use

Adjective

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insanitary was in 1848

Rhymes for insanitary

See All Rhymes for insanitary

Browse Nearby Words

insanitariness
insanitary
insanitation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insanitary. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

insanitary

adjective
in·​san·​i·​tary (ˈ)in-ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
: so unclean as to endanger health : unhealthy

Medical Definition

insanitary

adjective
in·​san·​i·​tary (ˈ)in-ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
: unclean enough to endanger health

More from Merriam-Webster on insanitary

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for insanitary

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