contaminated
adjective
con·tam·i·nat·ed
kən-ˈta-mə-ˌnā-təd 
1
: soiled, stained, corrupted, or infected by contact or association
a contaminated wound
Urine and feces of infected cats and contaminated clothing, bedding, food bowls or toys are also possible modes of transmission.—
Cat Fancy
Cat Fancy2
: made unfit for use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements
Botulinum toxin is a highly lethal substance which causes death, even in developed countries, when contaminated food is improperly canned or stored.—John Laffin
John Laffin… the material could be used as a filter for cleaning contaminated drinking water.—Alexandra Goho
Alexandra GohoSynonyms
Examples of contaminated in a Sentence
the hospitals had no choice but to throw out the contaminated blood supply
Recent Examples on the Web
Amen Dunes – Death Jokes Sub Pop Based on recent interviews, Damon McMahon, the primary force behind the strange, contaminated folk of Amen Dunes, seems to be in a good place.
—Reed Jackson, SPIN, 15 May 2024
It is believed that there was a single introduction of the virus from wild bird exposure (either by passive exposure, or maybe from eating contaminated feed), that probably occurred in December in Texas.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Some patrons have reported stomach issues after eating contaminated food, as well as a new distrust of Hereford House.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2024
Related Articles Is eminent domain the best way for Thornton to clean up a crumbling, contaminated shopping center?
—John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 13 May 2024
Consumption of contaminated food can cause salmonellosis, the most common symptoms of which are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consumption.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 7 May 2024
The symptoms typically begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food but can start the same day or up to 70 days later, according to the CDC.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
The virus from cows has also been spotted spreading out of dairy farms into nearby wild birds and poultry, likely ferried by contaminated milk droplets and surfaces.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 3 May 2024
Ingesting blister beetles or their body parts, either directly or indirectly through contaminated food or forage, can result in poisoning, leading to symptoms such as gastrointestinal distress and kidney damage, according to the University of Arizona.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
Reed Jackson, SPIN, 15 May 2024
It is believed that there was a single introduction of the virus from wild bird exposure (either by passive exposure, or maybe from eating contaminated feed), that probably occurred in December in Texas.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Some patrons have reported stomach issues after eating contaminated food, as well as a new distrust of Hereford House.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2024
Related Articles Is eminent domain the best way for Thornton to clean up a crumbling, contaminated shopping center?
—John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 13 May 2024
Consumption of contaminated food can cause salmonellosis, the most common symptoms of which are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after consumption.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 7 May 2024
The symptoms typically begin within two weeks of eating contaminated food but can start the same day or up to 70 days later, according to the CDC.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024
The virus from cows has also been spotted spreading out of dairy farms into nearby wild birds and poultry, likely ferried by contaminated milk droplets and surfaces.
—Alexander Tin, CBS News, 3 May 2024
Ingesting blister beetles or their body parts, either directly or indirectly through contaminated food or forage, can result in poisoning, leading to symptoms such as gastrointestinal distress and kidney damage, according to the University of Arizona.
—Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contaminated.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near contaminated
Cite this Entry
“Contaminated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contaminated. Accessed 19 May. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share