tainted 1 of 2

adjective

ˈtān-təd How to pronounce tainted (audio)
Definition of taintednext
as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tainted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of taint
1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
People can contract a diarrheal infection from tainted food or water, with symptoms most often beginning three to four days after contact with the bacteria. — Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026 While Liang seeks to distance the company from the tainted elements, Supermicro’s longer-term fate may hinge on whether Nvidia stays close or decides to keep its distance. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
The left no longer believes that immigrants of diverse backgrounds should assimilate themselves into a national culture tainted by white supremacy, while the right views immigrants’ very presence in the country as a threat to that same national culture. — Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026 Murdaugh’s attorneys appealed the convictions, saying the trial was tainted by the county clerk Becky Hill’s inappropriate comments to jurors implying his guilt. — Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tainted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainted
  1. polluted
  2. poisoned
  3. contaminated
  4. diluted
  5. marred
  6. dilute
  7. stained
  8. adulterated
Adjective
  • If one neighborhood is highly polluted but nearby communities aren’t, county-level averages would show an overall low level of pollution – even though the more detailed information would reveal a major problem to be addressed in one particular area.
    — Mark Axelrod, The Conversation, 30 June 2026
  • Her inner light reminds him of the stars he’s seen with his own eyes, above the polluted atmosphere of Earth.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026
Definition of polluted
Verb
  • The special bond between Supergirl and her scruffy animal sidekick becomes a key plot point in Kara’s new solo movie, where Krypto is poisoned by space outlaw Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Kara Zor-El (Alcock) goes on a planet-hopping mission to save her beloved Krypto – with young and vengeful girl Ruthye (Eve Ridley) in tow – after he’s poisoned by the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 June 2026
Definition of poisoned
Verb
  • Intestinal infections, which caused severe diarrhea and dehydration, were common in 1776 because of poor sanitation and contaminated food and water, especially in military camps, per NIH and NLM.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • The best way to prevent infection is to avoid consuming food or water that may be contaminated with feces, the CDC says.
    — Caroline Kee, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of contaminated
Adjective
  • By contrast, brewing coffee takes several minutes, resulting in a lighter, more diluted drink.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
  • To help remove sugar or milk, spray the area with diluted dishwashing soap solution.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 25 June 2026
Definition of diluted
Verb
  • Already, reports of sparse crowds have marred the Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair on the National Mall, the Daily Beast said.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
  • Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trip to the United Kingdom is already marred by drama after reports circulated that the visit was canceled due to security concerns.
    — Tracy Wright , Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of marred
Adjective
  • But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.
    — Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
  • Second, a dilute hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining lithium and the transition metals—nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Oct. 2025
Definition of dilute
Verb
  • If your clothing is stained from fabric softener, rinse the spot in the warmest water recommended for the garment.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
  • Semi-sheer, marbled accent nails look like they’ve been stained with blackberry juice.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 29 June 2026
Definition of stained
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
Definition of adulterated

Browse Nearby Words

taint
tainted
tainting
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainted. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on tainted

Nglish: Translation of tainted for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All