ADULTERATED Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

adulterated 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈdəl-tə-ˌrā-təd

Definition of adulterated

as in polluted

containing foreign or lower-grade substances the outbreak of food poisoning was traced to adulterated ground beef

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

adulterated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of adulterate

as in diluted

to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances the company was fined for adulterating its "all beef" frankfurters with cereal

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of adulterated

Adjective

Navarro, who pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in August, was sentenced Friday in Manhattan by federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil for being part of a conspiracy to distribute and administer adulterated and misbranded drugs for racehorses. — Stephen Edelson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2021

Verb

Though some guests may appreciate a starter kit with unused and sealed products, such as snacks and cold beverages, Jones said the kitchen should be cleared of all food items in case they have been contaminated or adulterated. — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2026 The risk rises sharply when leaf products are adulterated or spiked with concentrated 7-OH (see below). — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The vast majority – 89% – showed signs of being adulterated with other, cheaper oils, such as soybean oil. — Maria Godoy, NPR, 21 July 2026 Some olive oils are adulterated, which means other substances may be added to them to lower the quality—and often manufacturing costs—while increasing the amount in the bottle. — Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 27 Apr. 2026 Naloxone, the active drug in Narcan, is only effective on opioids and not on stimulants like cocaine, which would suggest the substance Dick used was adulterated with an opiate such as fentanyl. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2026 Fruits, leafy greens and other produce can become adulterated with listeria through fecal contamination, which can occur through wastewater, water in the growing area, fertilizer and the proximity of said growing area to livestock, USA TODAY previously reported. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025 Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez was dead against the idea, with his club arguing that breaking the traditional home and away format adulterated the competition, while also expressing concern over participating teams gaining a financial advantage. — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Food and/or ice adulterated or contaminated. — Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterated

Adjective

Wildfires in Indonesia are also the source of widespread haze that’s blanketing much of the region and making Southeast Asian cities such as Singapore and Kuala Lumpur among the world’s most polluted.

— Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
And everybody, ranging from workers in forced labor, to communities next to a polluted lake, to the companies that are less prepared to operate in a volatile and uncertain world, are paying the bill.

— Ben Vanpeperstraete, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of polluted

Verb

But ice, in addition to flattening the soda, will invite you to take longer, let it get diluted, and deflate the texture.

— Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2026
Essengue is quietly building out a better defensive resume, although those improvements have been diluted by his lack of presence as a rim attacker.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of diluted

Adjective

The audit, released Monday, identified a host of issues, including regulators’ failure to meet regular inspection schedules or to conduct sufficient random checks at dispensaries for contaminated products.

— Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
To break the chains of infections stemming from contaminated needles, Soqo has proposed supplying thousands of sterile needles and syringes to communities of methamphetamine users.

— David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of contaminated

Adjective

Finally, the third recruits seaweed to gather minerals that are otherwise too dilute to chase.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 July 2026
Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026

Definition of dilute

Adjective

Will Stewart be seduced into the path of corruption by using Sinestro’s emotionally tainted battery, or steel himself against ill influences and continue to blaze his own trail as Earth's sole protector for the time being?

— Jeff Spry, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Some say that our country is too tainted and that political progress can be had only by extra-legal means.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of tainted

Adjective

The gallery’s upcoming exhibition of paintings, sculpture and mixed media works by Spanish artist Manolo Valdés brings another perspective to the district; his sculpture is also part of the outdoor environment.

— Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
However, the actual performance for input lag is a little mixed.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of mixed

Adjective

Smashburger is the clearest example in the source reporting, since the chain says its fryers use 100% beef tallow oil but its Smash Fries get a blended oil.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
This direction is displayed in Edit, a capsule built around blended fabrics that redefine denim’s hand feel, movement and seasonal relevance, Ahmad said.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of blended

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“Adulterated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterated. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of adulterated

adjective

verb

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