contaminate
verb (used with object)
to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc..
contaminating
-
present participleof contaminate.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Sewage spills are on the rise, contaminating waterways, flooding streets and threatening ecological and public health.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Prions can be shed through urine and feces for months or even years, contaminating vegetation and soil.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 16, 2026
The move comes amid evidence the poisons are killing songbirds, which like to feather their nests with dog and cat hair, as well as contaminating rivers, killing aquatic life.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
On land, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday that Israeli strikes on Tehran fuel depots constituted "ecocide", contaminating soil and groundwater and causing long-term risks to people's health.
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
A single pair of rats could produce more than eight hundred offspring in a year, spreading infection and contaminating food.
From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman
