insanitary

1 of 2

adjective

in·​san·​i·​tary (ˌ)in-ˈsa-nə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
Synonyms of insanitarynext
: unclean enough to endanger health : contaminated
insanitation
in-ˌsa-nə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
noun

insanitation

2 of 2

noun

in·​sanitation (¦)in How to pronounce insanitation (audio)
ən+
: lack of sanitation : careless or dangerous hygienic conditions

Examples of insanitary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Employees were observed to only sanitize their gloved hands after touching insanitary surfaces and then resumed touching RTE food and various food contact surfaces. — Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2025 The company admitted that by January 2021 some employees were aware that the insanitary conditions were causing products to become contaminated. — Kate Gibson, CBS News, 26 Feb. 2024 Velichko said that he and several fellow volunteer drivers were housed in one of half a dozen insanitary, crowded barracks, which contained about 300 inmates in total. — Anna Nemtsova, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2022 Items ranging from dietary supplements and medication to cosmetics and pet foods may have been exposed to insanitary conditions at Family Dollar's distribution facility in West Memphis, Arkansas, federal officials said in a news release. — Aya Elamroussi, CNN, 19 Feb. 2022 But not by Roberts, who wrote that the blame for the concentration camps deaths lay with their inmates themselves, and their insanitary habits. — Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New Republic, 14 Oct. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

in- entry 1 + sanitation

First Known Use

Adjective

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of insanitary was in 1848

Rhymes for insanitary

See All Rhymes for insanitary

Browse Nearby Words

insanitariness
insanitary
insanitation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Insanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insanitary. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

insanitary

adjective
in·​san·​i·​tary (ˈ)in-ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
: so unclean as to endanger health : unhealthy

Medical Definition

insanitary

adjective
in·​san·​i·​tary (ˈ)in-ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē How to pronounce insanitary (audio)
: unclean enough to endanger health

More from Merriam-Webster on insanitary

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for insanitary

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