1
as in barren
not able to produce fruit or offspring
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children the apple tree turned out to be sterile, never yielding a crop of apples
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sanitary
free from filth, infection, or dangers to health
the hospitals in the war-torn city often lack necessary drugs and sterile surgical supplies
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Recent Examples of sterile
The bag was made heavy with a stockpile of harm reduction supplies meant to help vulnerable drug users stay healthy and avoid disease, including sterile syringes, condoms, emergency blankets, and hand warmers.
—
Lev Facher, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
But now, a series of sterile tea parties with a remarkable ape named Kanzi suggests some of our closest ancestors may have the ability too.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
The sterile male flies would mate with wild females, who mate only once in their weekslong adult lives.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Article’s Torme desk scratches the itch for office furniture that isn’t sterile or corporate-looking.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Lev Facher, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
But now, a series of sterile tea parties with a remarkable ape named Kanzi suggests some of our closest ancestors may have the ability too.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 10 Feb. 2026
The sterile male flies would mate with wild females, who mate only once in their weekslong adult lives.
—John Hanna, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
Article’s Torme desk scratches the itch for office furniture that isn’t sterile or corporate-looking.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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The few remaining individuals live in barren, rugged terrain at high elevations.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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In other games during the barren run, chances have been created and squandered.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Typical customers served by sanitary wastewater systems using 3,500 gallons of water would see an increase of about $28 per month, the release said.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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Stalls with overflowing sewage, exposed wires, no sanitary sinks in the kitchen, pests and vermin and alleged asbestos were among the concerns the community detailed during a presentation in mid 2024.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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