: 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
The tainted Tylenol bottles had been sold at various drugstores across the Chicago area.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
However, arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can contaminate groundwater and food irrigated with tainted water.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2025
In 2024, at least eight people were sickened by tainted products in California and another two in Nevada, according to the CDC.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
According to the company, 99.5% of the tainted butter was recovered before reaching consumers.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tainted
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Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
However, arsenic is a naturally occurring substance that can contaminate groundwater and food irrigated with tainted water.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 15 May 2025
In 2024, at least eight people were sickened by tainted products in California and another two in Nevada, according to the CDC.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2025
According to the company, 99.5% of the tainted butter was recovered before reaching consumers.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tainted
Cite this Entry
“Tainted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tainted. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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