contaminate
2 synonyms and 1 antonym for contaminate, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — To make something impure, dirty, or unsafe by introducing a harmful substance.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
decontaminate
How to use contaminate
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
contaminate the soil
contaminate a sample
contaminated water
Etymology
From Latin contaminare, "to corrupt or defile by mixing," from contaminatus, the past participle of the same verb.
Full origin of contaminate →Frequently asked questions
What does “contaminate” mean?
The word “contaminate” means to make something impure, dirty, or unsafe by introducing a harmful substance. In plain terms, to make something dirty, unsafe, or spoiled by introducing something harmful into it.
How do you pronounce “contaminate”?
“Contaminate” is pronounced kuhn-TA-mih-nayt (/kənˈtæmɪneɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “contaminate” in a sentence?
Here is “contaminate” used in a sentence: “A chemical spill contaminated the local water supply.”
What part of speech is “contaminate”?
“Contaminate” is a verb.
Where does the word “contaminate” come from?
The word “contaminate” comes from Latin. From Latin contaminare, "to corrupt or defile by mixing," from contaminatus, the past participle of the same verb.
