contaminant

noun

con·​tam·​i·​nant kən-ˈta-mə-nənt How to pronounce contaminant (audio)
Synonyms of contaminantnext
: something that contaminates

Synonyms of contaminant

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Examples of contaminant in a Sentence

a filter to remove contaminants from the drinking water
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.
As catastrophic as the fires were for those who lost everything, people whose homes remain standing have been exasperated by insurance company refusals to cover the removal of lingering hazardous contaminants. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 That’s in part due to their handling of homes requiring cleaning due to smoke and other contaminants caused by the fires. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Contributing factors to that could be a low number of axles, like with a solo locomotive, contaminants on the rails, or rust and other conditions that cause poor wheel-to-rail connections, according to the bulletin. — Marni Pyke, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 Avoiding extensive pretreatment could be particularly important for commercial operations because waste plastic often contains different polymers and contaminants. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contaminant

Word History

Etymology

contamin(ate) + -ant entry 1

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contaminant was in 1922

Browse Nearby Words

contakion
contaminant
contaminate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contaminant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contaminant. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contaminant

noun
con·​tam·​i·​nant kən-ˈtam-ə-nənt How to pronounce contaminant (audio)
: something that contaminates

Medical Definition

contaminant

noun
con·​tam·​i·​nant kən-ˈtam-ə-nənt How to pronounce contaminant (audio)
: something that contaminates
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