impure

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r How to pronounce impure (audio)
Definition of impurenext
1
as in polluted
containing foreign or lower-grade substances be careful, because impure motor oil can damage your car's engine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vulgar
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society Victorian notions of what qualified as impure art now strike us as laughable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impure Wad, perhaps the most abundant, is a dark-brown-to-black, very soft, earthy mineral that is commonly considered an impure hydrous oxide of manganese. — arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024 If impure quartz is used, the outside materials can hamper the effectiveness of the transistor. — Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Oct. 2024 There was also the upset about Ryan, who shows her breasts—a sweetheart made impure through pulp fiction. — Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2024 But to pursue a state of purity—even a fictional one; even a made-up, obviously impure one—still feels righteous. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 26 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for impure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impure
  1. vulgar
  2. contaminated
  3. obscene
  4. dilute
  5. diluted
  6. foul
  7. dirty
  8. adulterated
Adjective
  • There is a ring on my finger that, to quote Rhett Butler, is the biggest and most vulgar ring in Atlanta (Maine), and a six-course, all-cheese dinner is awaiting us afterward.
    — Christine Murphy, People.com, 5 Mar. 2025
  • This goes double for vulgar and hateful content, which is a growing problem across social media.
    — Ella Cerón, Parents, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • So far, 96 of those samples were negative by polymerase chain reaction testing, or PCR, which detects live virus as well as inactive viral particles, indicating that those cheeses probably weren’t made with contaminated milk.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Once notified of the problem, the three local governments reacted by curtailing use of their contaminated wells and relying more on uncontaminated wells.
    — Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of contaminated
Adjective
  • Taken by the apparent deterioration of his health, users made those clips go viral and eventually adapted the money spread into a mini-dance trend where users bop to the song before flaunting an obscene amount of cash (or weed baggies or fishing lures!).
    — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2025
  • But there are more visible and indecent »Paris Game« leftovers: the enormous/obscene sportsbook ads on display at every other métro station.
    — Eduardo Tansley, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles.
    — Liz Roth-Johnson, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2013
  • However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute.
    — George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 8 July 2013
Definition of dilute
Adjective
  • Earnings per diluted share increased to $1.36 from $1.24.
    — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Net income for the fourth quarter jumped to $104.3 million, or 54 cents a diluted share, from $6.3 million, or 3 cents, a year earlier, when $131 million impairment and restructuring charges dragged down results.
    — Evan Clark, WWD, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of diluted
Adjective
  • With 13:33 left in the game, McCaffery grew frustrated by a disparity in foul calls, blew his top and picked up a technical from official Brian Dorsey.
    — Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Davis grabbed the offensive rebound following Burton’s try for the win, and Austin was called for a foul down low.
    — Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of foul
Adjective
  • These guys are out here sweating, getting their hands dirty.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Not worrying about getting dirty or anything like that.
    — Kayla Grant, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of dirty
Adjective
  • The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.
    — Dylan Tokar, WSJ, 2 Feb. 2023
  • And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.
    — Nadia Kounang, CNN, 17 Mar. 2022
Definition of adulterated

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Cite this Entry

“Impure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impure. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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