sanitary

adjective

ˈsa-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce sanitary (audio)
Definition of sanitarynext
as in sterile
free from filth, infection, or dangers to health the nurse made sure that everything in the room was sanitary so that the baby wouldn't get sick

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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 sanitary The company said the building will be fixed to safe and sanitary conditions in 60 days. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 29 July 2026 Typical customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons of water would see an increase of about $28 per month. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 8 July 2026 Along with keeping things sanitary, regularly washing the soft goods in your bathroom can also keep the laundry scent in the air fresh and inviting. — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 31 May 2026 Contact with the body of an Ebola victim is an easy way for the disease to spread, but sanitary disposal of a body conflicts with the cultural burial rites of the Congolese. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sanitary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanitary
  1. sterile
  2. hygienic
Adjective
  • The government has a longstanding program to breed sterile male flies and drop swarms of them from planes to mate with wild females, causing the flies to die out.
    — Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The 46-year-old was ushered into a sterile room for her appointment, her phone lit up with a text.
    — Jesse Bedayn, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of sterile
Adjective
  • Plus, the product features a push-jar for extra hygienic application (AKA, no scooping product out of the jar with your fingers).
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Once dry, the items can remain protected inside the machine in a hygienic storage environment supported by a medical-grade HEPA filter.
    — Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of hygienic

Phrases Containing sanitary

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sanitarium
sanitary
sanitary landfill
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Cite this Entry

“Sanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sanitary. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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