: altered from a pure state or condition: such as
a
: contaminated by or as if by dirt, impurities, or harmful organisms
tainted food
Nearby residents typically want every shovelful of tainted soil dug up and shipped far, far away.—
Gregg Easterbrook
Gregg Easterbrook… federal health authorities identified an organic produce company … as a possible source of some of the tainted spinach.—Julia Preston et al.
Julia Preston et al.Viruses are often passed along to other computers via tainted files …—J. D. Biersdorfer
J. D. Biersdorfer
b
: corrupted morally or ethically
a tainted victory
c
: damaged or spoiled by alteration from a correct or original state or form
tainted evidence
tainted testimony
Examples of tainted in a Sentence
tainted groundwater that is unfit to drink
Recent Examples on the Web
Close to half of the cases of foodborne illness caused by Vibrio vulnificus have resulted in death, and some within 24 hours after consumption of tainted shellfish such as raw oysters.
—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Another juvenile in detention passed around the tainted jug, according to the suit.
—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
People can contract a diarrheal infection from tainted food or water, with symptoms most often beginning three to four days after contact with the bacteria.
—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Consuming tainted eggs can cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness that attacks your intestinal tract.
—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
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Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
1 July 2026
Another juvenile in detention passed around the tainted jug, according to the suit.
—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
People can contract a diarrheal infection from tainted food or water, with symptoms most often beginning three to four days after contact with the bacteria.
—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2026
Consuming tainted eggs can cause salmonellosis, a foodborne illness that attacks your intestinal tract.
—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tainted. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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