1
as in dilute
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
the pharmacist was convicted of selling adulterate drugs in order to maximize profits
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in adulterous
relating to or being a sexual encounter or relationship between a married person and someone other than their spouse
caught red-handed in what he claimed was his first adulterate encounter
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to dilute
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
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Recent Examples of adulterate
Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2024
Additionally, some products might be adulterated or tainted with prescription-drug ingredients.15
14.
—Trang Tran, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 18 Oct. 2024
Prosecutors said 75% of the fentanyl given to patients at the clinic from June to October 2020 was adulterated by saline.
—Dave Collins, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024
The practice of adulterating honey is well known, and historically adulterants such as ash and potato flour have been used.
—Daniel Matthews, Fortune Europe, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for adulterate
Verb
Hanson was initially charged on April 26 with only one count of adulterating or contaminating food, which under Kansas law is a criminal threat.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2024
Additionally, some products might be adulterated or tainted with prescription-drug ingredients.15
14.
—Trang Tran, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 18 Oct. 2024
Prosecutors said 75% of the fentanyl given to patients at the clinic from June to October 2020 was adulterated by saline.
—Dave Collins, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024
The practice of adulterating honey is well known, and historically adulterants such as ash and potato flour have been used.
—Daniel Matthews, Fortune Europe, 5 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for adulterate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterate
Adjective
-
Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles.—
Liz Roth-Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
12 Feb. 2013
-
However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute.—
George Johnson,
Discover Magazine,
8 July 2013
Adjective
-
Nor did anyone blink when Shonda Rhimes set Scandal within the White House of a wishy-washy, adulterous GOP President who’d unwittingly stolen an election.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
20 Feb. 2025
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The new version strips down the book’s narrative, concentrating on the plight of an adulterous airline pilot (Cage) who’s forced to land a plane after all the good Christians are called up to heaven.—
Emily Heller,
Vulture,
12 July 2024
Verb
-
In addition to damaging vegetation, off-road driving can pollute water sources, threaten sensitive cultural and historical sites, endanger wildlife, and disrupt and compact the soil.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 Feb. 2025
-
The millions of gallons of waste that the pigs generated each year stank horribly and polluted the air and water, turning an otherwise pleasant town into a pigsty.—
Kenny Torrella,
Vox,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
In July 2023, the Speaker of Parliament resigned over an extramarital affair with a fellow lawmaker.—
Nicholas Yong,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
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The couple frequently fought over finances, including a $1.2 million debt and Vo’s extramarital affairs, Knox said.—
Nate Gartrell,
The Mercury News,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.—
Dylan Tokar,
WSJ,
2 Feb. 2023
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And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.—
Nadia Kounang,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2022
Adjective
-
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools switched to remote learning Wednesday and canceled all extracurricular activities, athletics and facilities use.—
Joe Marusak and,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Feb. 2025
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Applications include the applicant’s academic achievements, community service and/or employment activities, and extracurricular activities and awards as well as a personal statement and one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or community member.—
Maureen Robertson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Earnings of 33 cents a share on a diluted basis represented an improvement from the year-ago period, which saw a loss of 15 cents a share.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2025
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Once the nest is safely relocated by a professional, thoroughly clean the area with diluted bleach or vinegar, and then install bird spikes or another deterrent to keep birds from nesting in that spot again.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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It's found in contaminated water and food, explains Ivers, which then produces a toxin in the small intestine that leads to the severe diarrhea and rapid fluid loss.—
Daryl Austin,
USA TODAY,
16 Feb. 2025
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Although the contaminated water isn't getting into the region's drinking water, people and animals could still be exposed to the bacteria.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
12 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adulterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterate. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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