Nominal Forms
Infinitive: to contaminate
Participle: contaminated
Gerund: contaminating
Cognates
-
Indicative
Present
| I | contaminate |
| you | contaminate |
| he;she;it | contaminates |
| we | contaminate |
| you | contaminate |
| they | contaminate |
Perfect
| I | have contaminated |
| you | have contaminated |
| he;she;it | has contaminated |
| we | have contaminated |
| you | have contaminated |
| they | have contaminated |
Past
| I | contaminated |
| you | contaminated |
| he;she;it | contaminated |
| we | contaminated |
| you | contaminated |
| they | contaminated |
Pluperfect
| I | had contaminated |
| you | had contaminated |
| he;she;it | had contaminated |
| we | had contaminated |
| you | had contaminated |
| they | had contaminated |
Future
| I | will contaminate |
| you | will contaminate |
| he;she;it | will contaminate |
| we | will contaminate |
| you | will contaminate |
| they | will contaminate |
Future Perfect
| I | will have contaminated |
| you | will have contaminated |
| he;she;it | will have contaminated |
| we | will have contaminated |
| you | will have contaminated |
| they | will have contaminated |
Subjunctive
Present
| I | contaminate |
| you | contaminate |
| he;she;it | contaminate |
| we | contaminate |
| you | contaminate |
| they | contaminate |
Perfect
| I | have contaminated |
| you | have contaminated |
| he;she;it | have contaminated |
| we | have contaminated |
| you | have contaminated |
| they | have contaminated |
Imperfect
| I | contaminated |
| you | contaminated |
| he;she;it | contaminated |
| we | contaminated |
| you | contaminated |
| they | contaminated |
Pluperfect
| I | had contaminated |
| you | had contaminated |
| he;she;it | had contaminated |
| we | had contaminated |
| you | had contaminated |
| they | had contaminated |
Conditional
Present
| I | would contaminate |
| you | would contaminate |
| he;she;it | would contaminate |
| we | would contaminate |
| you | would contaminate |
| they | would contaminate |
Perfect
| I | would have contaminated |
| you | would have contaminated |
| he;she;it | would have contaminated |
| we | would have contaminated |
| you | would have contaminated |
| they | would have contaminated |
Imperative
| you | contaminate |
| we | Let's contaminate |
| you | contaminate |
Verbs conjugated like 'contaminate'
abacinate,
abalienate,
abase,
abate,
abbreviate,
abdicate,
abduce,
aberrate,
aberuncate,
abirritate,
abjudge,
abjudicate,
abjugate,
abjure,
ablactate,
ablaqueate,
able,
ablegate,
abligate,
abnegate, etc. (List truncated at 20 verbs)
Verbs similar to 'contaminate'
decontaminate,
recontaminate,
attaminate,
biocontaminate,
cognominate,
comminate,
compaginate,
concamerate,
concatenate,
concomitate,
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
- to make physically dirty
- assoil, beclart, bedaub, bedirty, bedizen, befile, befoul, begrime, beray, besully, bewray, blacken, blot, blur, darken, denigrate, dirty, drag through the mud, dull, foil, foul, gunk, gunk up, inquinate, pollute, sling mud, slotter, slur, smutch, soss, sowl, spot, stain, sullow, taint, tarnish, uggle
- to make or render worse
- adulterate, aggravate, canker, corrupt, debase, debauch, defile, deflower, degrade, deteriorate, envenom, exacerbate, impair, infect, pejorate, set back, stain, vitiate, weaken
- pollute
- debase, adulterate, corrupt, infect, defile, befoul, poison, taint
- desecrate
- profane, violate, dishonor, besmirch, sully
Antonyms
- pollute
- purify, purge, honor, respect
Additional Information
Phrasal Verbs
Etymology
1. 1526, from O.Fr. contaminer, from L. contaminatus, pp. of contaminare "to defile," from contamen "contact, pollution," from com- "together" + *tag-, base of tangere "to touch" (see tangent).
2. First attested in the early 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English; from Middle English contaminaten (“to defile; to infect with desease”), from contaminat(e) (“sullied, defiled; infected with desease”, also used as the past participle of contaminaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), from Latin contāminātus, the perfect passive participle of contāminō (“to touch together, blend, mingle, corrupt, defile”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), which see for further informations. More at taste, tax, and taxi.
Sample Sentences
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This water is contaminated. It isn't safe to drink.
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Bombs and munitions meanwhile contain toxic substances that contaminate soil, water, and vegetation. [2025 November 20, Simmone Shah, “Ukraine to Claim $44bn in Climate Damages From Russia. Why War Is So Bad For Emissions”, in TIME, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2025:]
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Shall we now
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Contaminate our figures with base bribes? [1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:]
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I would neither have simplicity imposed upon, nor virtue contaminated. [1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC:]
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[Martin] Heidegger's repellent political beliefs do not contaminate his philosophical work. [2014 April 12, Michael Inwood, “Martin Heidegger: the philosopher who fell for Hitler [print version: Hitler's philosopher]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), London, page R11:]
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Do not contaminate the peanut butter with the jelly.