VITIATE Synonyms: 173 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'vitiate' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of vitiate are corrupt , debase , debauch , deprave , and pervert . While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect. // a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

Q: When can 'corrupt' be used instead of 'vitiate'?

In some situations, the words corrupt and vitiate are roughly equivalent. However, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity. // the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

Q: When is it sensible to use 'debase' instead of 'vitiate'?

While the synonyms debase and vitiate are close in meaning, debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity. // commercialism has debased the holiday

Q: When would 'debauch' be a good substitute for 'vitiate'?

The synonyms debauch and vitiate are sometimes interchangeable, but debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence. // the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

Q: When could 'deprave' be used to replace 'vitiate'?

The words deprave and vitiate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences. // the claim that society is depraved by pornography

Q: When might 'pervert' be a better fit than 'vitiate'?

The words pervert and vitiate can be used in similar contexts, but pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal. // perverted the original goals of the institute

vitiate

verb

ˈvi-shē-ˌāt

Definition of vitiate next

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable believed that luxury vitiates even the most principled person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to mar

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of numerous grammatical errors vitiate the effectiveness of your writing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to degrade

to lower in character, dignity, or quality a penchant for coarse language vitiates what is otherwise a refined literary style

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vitiate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of vitiate are corrupt, debase, debauch, deprave, and pervert. While all these words mean "to cause deterioration or lowering in quality or character," vitiate implies a destruction of purity, validity, or effectiveness by allowing entrance of a fault or defect.

a foreign policy vitiated by partisanship

When can corrupt be used instead of vitiate?

In some situations, the words corrupt and vitiate are roughly equivalent. However, corrupt implies loss of soundness, purity, or integrity.

the belief that bureaucratese corrupts the language

When is it sensible to use debase instead of vitiate?

While the synonyms debase and vitiate are close in meaning, debase implies a loss of position, worth, value, or dignity.

commercialism has debased the holiday

When would debauch be a good substitute for vitiate?

The synonyms debauch and vitiate are sometimes interchangeable, but debauch implies a debasing through sensual indulgence.

the long stay on a tropical isle had debauched the ship's crew

When could deprave be used to replace vitiate?

The words deprave and vitiate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, deprave implies moral deterioration by evil thoughts or influences.

the claim that society is depraved by pornography

When might pervert be a better fit than vitiate?

The words pervert and vitiate can be used in similar contexts, but pervert implies a twisting or distorting from what is natural or normal.

perverted the original goals of the institute

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 vitiate The bill vitiates the existing legal agreements between the parties as to the calculation of re-setting of the ground lease rent and removes all leverage in negotiations. —

Anita W. Laremont, New York Daily News, 14 May 2024 Yet, the Biden Justice Department’s infighting and foot-dragging caused the statute of limitations for the 2014 and 2015 tax years to lapse, vitiating some of the investigation’s key allegations. —

The Editors, National Review, 21 July 2023 And, especially relevant to Edelman in this case: Is it vitiated by bad motives? —

Jesse Green, New York Times, 27 June 2023 His arguments were later challenged by critics who argued that new information and communication technologies vitiated the advantages of corporate size and hierarchical control. —

Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs, 6 Sep. 2022 See all Example Sentences for vitiate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vitiate

Verb

In a 2021 study in the Journal of Urban Health, researchers surveyed adult residents of Flint, Michigan, where the water was known to have been tainted with lead.

— Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Jan. 2025
The goal is not to taint your hard work with someone whose values are the polar opposite to yours.

— Goro Gupta, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025