ADULTERANT Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

adulterant

noun

ə-ˈdəl-t(ə-)rənt

Definition of adulterant

as in contamination

something that is or that makes impure concerned about adulterants in the town's water supply coming from the discharge from the factory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 adulterant In a letter reviewed by CBS News, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said that agency funding cannot be used to purchase test strips used to check drugs for dangerous adulterants like fentanyl, xylazine and medetomidine. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026 Like many bath salts, NEP was often sold as Ecstasy or added to other drugs as an adulterant. — Jonathan Corum, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2026 Plenty of coffee drinkers enjoy medium or dark roasts, which tend to pair well with milk and other adulterants. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025 Other adulterants also pose potential risks, especially when consumed unknowingly. — Benjamin Adams, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for adulterant

Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterant

Noun

Repairs to a broken water main near Atlanta's Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant are complete, but residents and businesses in the affected area must continue boiling tap water while officials check the system for possible contamination.

— CBS News Atlanta Digital Team, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Under that time pressure, the team had to carefully handle the precious DNA to prevent the risk of contamination on their descent.

— Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of contamination

Noun

The upscale outdoor mall survived the Palisades fire, but needed refurbishment to eliminate any potential contaminants from the blaze.

— Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
The property invested in a water and sewage plant that ensures no contaminants enter the ocean, plus gives detailed training to all staff on sustainability practices.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of contaminant

Noun

The city said in a statement that the concentration of pollutants averaged 196 micrograms per cubic meter, which is considered an unhealthy level way above the normal range of about 3 to 9.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
If approved, the permit will also require monitoring of the water flow, temperature, present or expected pollutants in the sourcewater, expected pollutants in the wastewater, and additional pollutants associated with steam electric power generation.

— Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of pollutant

Browse Nearby Words

adult

adulterant

adulterants

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Adulterant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterant. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of adulterant

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes