contaminate
verb (used with object)
to make impure or unsuitable by contact or mixture with something unclean, bad, etc..
had contaminated
-
past perfectof contaminate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Local residents had complained that exploration work had contaminated the water supply, threatened tourism and risked hastening the melting of glaciers, Kyrgyz media reported earlier this year.
From Barron's ● Nov. 25, 2025
Residents said newly dug hatcheries and ponds had contaminated neighboring communities’ water and soil, making it nearly impossible to grow crops, especially rice they depend on for food.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 20, 2024
One officer told the judge and others heading upstairs to wear a mask if they had one because chemicals from the fire extinguishers had contaminated the area.
From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2023
Oil from the fields in the region had contaminated the water, he said, leading to the death of domestic animals.
From Reuters ● Dec. 3, 2021
“How long did you keep them in your laboratory?” one scientist asked, suggesting that Gartler had contaminated the cells himself after they arrived in his lab.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
