contaminate
verb (used with object)
to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc..
contaminates
-
present tense formof contaminate (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cyclospora is a parasite that contaminates leafy greens, berries and herbs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
“If a worker contaminates lettuce, that lettuce will likely be eaten before it becomes infectious,” Todd said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
The production of PFAS-coated pans also exposes factory workers to those chemicals, and the wastewater from factories like those are what contaminates waterways, landfills and, in some cases, farmland.
From Salon ● Dec. 9, 2024
Water shortages are not new, but many countries, especially in the global south, are experiencing climate change-related intense drought and flooding that contaminates water sources.
From BBC ● May 27, 2024
It has been found by experiment that a candle contaminates more air than a man.
From A Lecture on the Preservation of Health by Thomas Garnett
