1
a
: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores
b
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
c
: incapable of germinating
sterile spores
d
of a flower
: neither perfect nor pistillate
2
a
: unproductive of vegetation
a sterile arid region
b
: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms
a sterile syringe
c
: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless
a sterile work of art
Examples of sterile in a Sentence
a sterile dressing for a wound
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children
Recent Examples on the Web
Margaret Austin Photography The previous owners had remodeled the kitchen and bathroom in the four-bedroom, two-bathroom house, but the aesthetic was a mix of sterile Mediterranean and traditional design—not exactly a fit for a modern Eichler.
—
Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 26 June 2024
Bright and sterile overhead lighting is getting replaced with small and moody ambient lighting as more and more people ditch the big light for more custom options.
—Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2024
The veterinarians tied a rope around the animal’s feet, then dragged him a few yards to a sterile canvas sheet on which the surgery would take place.
—Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024
In the study, two of the ten males who died synchronously didn’t lose the most sleep, and in captivity, some males survived longer but became sterile.
—Big Think, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterile 
Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 26 June 2024
Bright and sterile overhead lighting is getting replaced with small and moody ambient lighting as more and more people ditch the big light for more custom options.
—Halee Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2024
The veterinarians tied a rope around the animal’s feet, then dragged him a few yards to a sterile canvas sheet on which the surgery would take place.
—Joshua Hammer, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 June 2024
In the study, two of the ten males who died synchronously didn’t lose the most sleep, and in captivity, some males survived longer but became sterile.
—Big Think, 20 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterile
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sterile.' 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 sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl 
1
: not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile
sterile soil
2
: free from microscopic living things and especially germs (as bacteria and viruses)
a sterile dressing for a wound
Medical Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl
1
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
compare infertile
2
: free from living organisms and especially microorganisms
a sterile syringe
a sterile cyst
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