1
a
: failing to bear or incapable of producing fruit or spores
b
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
c
: incapable of germinating
sterile spores
d
of a flower
: neither perfect nor pistillate
2
a
: unproductive of vegetation
a sterile arid region
b
: free from living organisms and especially pathogenic microorganisms
a sterile syringe
c
: lacking in stimulating emotional or intellectual quality : lifeless
a sterile work of art
Examples of sterile in a Sentence
a sterile dressing for a wound
sterile couples sometimes choose to adopt needy children
Recent Examples on the Web
One current method used for mosquito control is called the sterile insect technique, which works by releasing many sterile males to mate with females, who tend to mate with only one partner.
—
Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
These tests require you to pee into a sterile cup so your healthcare provider can check for protein and waste products in your urine.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 19 Oct. 2024
To complicate matters, these products are difficult to make — even sterile water or saline solution.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 18 Oct. 2024
On the other side of the country, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a longtime reader favorite, is a warm alternative to sterile airport abysses.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterile 
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Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024
These tests require you to pee into a sterile cup so your healthcare provider can check for protein and waste products in your urine.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 19 Oct. 2024
To complicate matters, these products are difficult to make — even sterile water or saline solution.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 18 Oct. 2024
On the other side of the country, Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a longtime reader favorite, is a warm alternative to sterile airport abysses.
—Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sterile
Dictionary Entries Near sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl 
1
: not able to produce fruit, crops, or offspring : not fertile
sterile soil
2
: free from microscopic living things and especially germs (as bacteria and viruses)
a sterile dressing for a wound
Medical Definition
sterile
adjective
ster·ile
ˈster-əl, chiefly British -ˌīl
1
: failing to produce or incapable of producing offspring
a sterile hybrid
compare infertile
2
: free from living organisms and especially microorganisms
a sterile syringe
a sterile cyst
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