unadulterated
Americanadjective
-
not diluted or made impure by adulterating; pure.
unadulterated maple syrup.
-
utter; absolute.
unadulterated nonsense.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unadulteratedly adverb
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.
For Iranian diaspora communities outside the country and which are in large part anti-government, Khamenei’s death sparked unadulterated happiness.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026
She added that a true commitment to justice would require the release of an unadulterated version of Epstein’s case files.
From Salon • Feb. 26, 2026
For thousands of years, they say, these animals hunted for their meals and consumed their prey whole, absorbing the carcasses’ unadulterated nutrients.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026
The group said it believed the images were neither art or a political statement but "unadulterated hatred" and said its legal team was examining the footage to consider further steps.
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
Everything is set up, though, the rented thick-stemmed wineglasses, the bottles of mediocre hooch, the mineral water for teetotalers, because who would serve unadulterated chlorine from the tap?
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
