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

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

In Wilmington, officials are looking into why a couple of polluted tidal creeks in the area are struggling to recover despite restoration efforts.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
But flood control cut off that supply, replacing it with polluted canals.

— Jenny Staletovich, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of polluted

Verb

The opposition filing also said the company’s brand would be diluted in terms of distinction in the market by the applicant’s mark.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
This paradox—a longing for beauty to be distributed equally, even though it cannot be diluted for ease of distribution, and might even require rarity—is why the period continues to fascinate me.

— Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of diluted

Adjective

People cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water.

— Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Consumers who may have purchased contaminated products have been advised by the FDA to either throw them away or return them for a refund at the place of purchase.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 15 Aug. 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

One example is museums’ wall labels now mentioning tainted or dubious provenance.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of tainted

Adjective

Yum reported mixed second-quarter results and said the cyclospora outbreak linked to Taco Bell hit the chain's sales in July, but that trends began to improve.

— Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Open Concepts With more mixed reactions than the other trends, open concepts fill out the top five most controversial design trends.

— Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of mixed

Adjective

The distinction matters because blended fabrics remain difficult feedstocks for textile-to-textile recycling.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
The blended family appeared to be very close, emotionally and geographically, with Evelyn Smith, Dana’s elderly mother, living in a nearby retirement home, Ireland said.

— David K. Li, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of blended

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“Adulterated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterated. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of adulterated

adjective

verb

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