TAINTED Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

tainted 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtān-təd

Definition of tainted

as in polluted

containing foreign or lower-grade substances tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tainted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of taint

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

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

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 tainted

Adjective

The group turned its attention to Samoa in July 2018, when two young children died after being given a tainted MMR vaccine that had been improperly prepared. — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 Salmonella outbreak linked to tainted jalapeños isn’t over The CDC reported more than 400 cases in 32 states, although the number of illnesses is likely to be much higher. — Jane Weaver, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026

Verb

While three players have exceeded that total in the National League, all were active in the steroids era and their accomplishment has been tainted as a result, which is not the case for Judge. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 Even if the Constitution is democratically tainted, what is the alternative? — Brian Fitzpatrick, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tainted

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted

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

Rau, wondering if his patients had been poisoned somehow, had his staff check the kitchen for contamination.

— D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Its death, poisoned by anti-freeze in April 2020 during Spain’s COVID confinement, sparks on screen and real-life the first criminal investigation in Spain and Europe for an animal’s slaughter.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of poisoned

Verb

Less common modes include vertical transmission (from mother to child) and transfusion transmission, when contaminated donor blood gives rise to an infection in the transfusion recipient.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Some have polluted rivers, destroyed forests or contaminated cenotes [sinkholes], and all struggle with guilt.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of contaminated

Adjective

In the spring, the Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act, a landmark civil rights law, making way for Republican states to redraw their congressional maps and igniting fears of diluted Black representation.

— New York Times, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Use a dry microfiber cloth for routine cleaning, and diluted dish soap or white vinegar to remove more stubborn, sticky film.

— Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of diluted

Verb

While the show is beloved, its legacy has also been marred with a series of tragedies and controversies, both on and off screen.

— Saba Hamedy, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026
Montgomery High School has been marred by previous violence, including a March 2023 stabbing that killed a 16-year-old student.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of marred

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

Verb

Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of stained

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Style

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

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Synonyms of tainted

adjective

verb

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