SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
contaminate
verb
To introduce something unwanted that makes a substance or result impure or unreliable.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Make impure or unreliable
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topInfect applies only in suitable biological or figurative contexts; contaminate covers many unwanted additions.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See contaminate in use
Dust from the open window could contaminate the paint mixture.
While testing a new reader poll, an editor accidentally allowed practice responses to contaminate the final results by mixing them with actual submissions.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license