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
Newer butterfly bushes often have been bred to be sterile.
—
Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Dec. 2025
Serene but not sterile, each area—from the bar to the lounge—had its own personality.
—Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 23 Dec. 2025
Equipped with sterile Petri dishes, these drones were piloted into the mist of whale exhales to snatch respiratory droplets right out of the air.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025
These sensory experiences create trust and connection that sterile supermarket aisles simply can't match.
—Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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In the 19th century, guano miners razed the place, removing most of the topsoil and leaving behind barren rock.—
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The next two teams on this list find themselves in eerily similar situations, from barren rosters to enviable cap space to hope at the quarterback position.—
Adjective
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The number of immigration judges and staff should be significantly increased so that asylum applications can be decided on a much quicker basis, and individuals waiting on asylum decisions should be provided safe and sanitary conditions.—
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Daily blackouts, widespread shortages, increasing levels of street violence and poor sanitary conditions have led many tour operators and airlines to drop the country and eliminate flights.—
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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