sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsa-nə-ˌter-ē 
1
: of or relating to health
sanitary measures
2
: of, relating to, or used in the disposal especially of domestic waterborne waste
a sanitary sewer system
3
: characterized by or readily kept in cleanliness
sanitary packages
Examples of sanitary in a Sentence
the nurse made sure that everything in the room was sanitary so that the baby wouldn't get sick
Recent Examples on the Web
In 2016, when the plight of a high school student who couldn’t afford sanitary pads using a shoe insole instead made national headlines, the city also added a program that gave underprivileged teenage girls cash for female hygiene products.
—
Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
If a state legislature passes a law requiring its restaurants to maintain safe and sanitary conditions, its members are not sitting around deciding the correct food-storage temperatures.
—Paisley Currah, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
The future trash depot, which currently consists of two administrative buildings and a gravel lot, relies on a septic system and will need to be connected to the city’s sanitary sewer system, said Tia Anderson, a city planner and project manager.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
Since 1997, the settlement, known as the Flores Agreement, has required federal U.S. immigration officials to hold migrant children in facilities that are safe and sanitary; provide them access to lawyers; and seek their expeditious release from government custody.
—May 22, CBS News, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanitary
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Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
If a state legislature passes a law requiring its restaurants to maintain safe and sanitary conditions, its members are not sitting around deciding the correct food-storage temperatures.
—Paisley Currah, New Yorker, 27 May 2025
The future trash depot, which currently consists of two administrative buildings and a gravel lot, relies on a septic system and will need to be connected to the city’s sanitary sewer system, said Tia Anderson, a city planner and project manager.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 May 2025
Since 1997, the settlement, known as the Flores Agreement, has required federal U.S. immigration officials to hold migrant children in facilities that are safe and sanitary; provide them access to lawyers; and seek their expeditious release from government custody.
—May 22, CBS News, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sanitary
Cite this Entry
“Sanitary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanitary. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of or relating to health : hygienic
sanitary laws
2
: free from filth, infection, or dangers to health
Medical Definition
sanitary
adjective
san·i·tary
ˈsan-ə-ˌter-ē
1
: of or relating to health
sanitary measures
2
: of, relating to, or used in the disposal especially of domestic waterborne waste
sanitary sewage
3
: characterized by or readily kept in cleanliness
sanitary food handling
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