unadulterated
Americanadjective
-
not diluted or made impure by adulterating; pure.
unadulterated maple syrup.
-
utter; absolute.
unadulterated nonsense.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unadulterated
First recorded in 1710–20; un- 1 + adulterate + -ed 2
Explanation
Something that's pure, not mixed with other ingredients, is unadulterated. If you stand in your yard every time it rains singing "Singin' in the Rain" with unadulterated enthusiasm, your neighbors will eventually call the police. Food or drink that is pure is also said to be unadulterated. Some people like chocolate milk, but you might prefer the unadulterated variety. The adjective unadulterated also means "without qualifications," and it can be used in a negative way to mean "complete and utter." You'd probably feel like an unadulterated idiot if you shocked yourself by sticking a knife in the toaster after being advised not to.
Vocabulary lists containing unadulterated
Rap Lyrics
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 1
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A Wrinkle in Time
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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.
And yet, when it came to recruiting advertisers, Steinem said, “We were met with pure, unadulterated hostility.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
But this encounter with “Ma Rainey” reveals that even early Wilson can, in the right hands, offer unadulterated playwriting greatness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
They’re also often the engines of pure, unadulterated office hell.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
Conservative commentator Meghan McCain blasted Owens’ campaign as “pure, unadulterated evil.”
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2026
We both know that unadulterated good things like this trade don’t just happen between little hedge funds and big Wall Street firms.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
