contaminated

Everyday

Made dirty, impure or harmful by something mixed in, such as germs, poison or chemicals. tree →

In the lessons

In science and safety lessons, contaminated water or food can make people ill, and scientists keep experiments from being contaminated. In everyday life, raw meat can contaminate other food, so wash hands and boards. Phrases: contaminated water, contaminated with.

Examples

• Don't drink the water; it's contaminated. tree →
• The food was contaminated with bacteria. tree →
• Oil spills leave beaches contaminated. tree →
• Wash the board so it isn't contaminated by raw chicken. tree →
• The sample got contaminated and the test failed. tree →
• Radiation contaminated the land near Chernobyl. tree →

Note

Usually «contaminated with» or «by». Opposite: clean, pure, uncontaminated.