impure

adjective

im·​pure (ˌ)im-ˈpyu̇r 

: not pure: such as

a

: containing something unclean : foul

impure water

b

: mixed or impregnated with an extraneous and usually unwanted substance

an impure chemical

c

: lewd, unchaste

d

: ritually unclean

impurely adverb

impureness noun

Synonyms

• adulterate
• adulterated
• alloyed
• contaminated
• dilute
• diluted
• polluted
• tainted
• thinned
• weakened

Examples of impure in a Sentence

be careful, because impure motor oil can damage your car's engine

Victorian notions of what qualified as impure art now strike us as laughable.

Recent Examples on the Web

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

For her part, Lisa compared the risks of dose-splitting with the risks of her alternatives: Either going to a compounding pharmacy, whose copycat drugs might be unreliable or impure, or continuing to live with obesity. —Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, from Latin impurus, from in- + purus pure

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

impure

adjective

im·​pure (ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇(ə)r 

1

: not pure : unclean, dirty

2

: mixed with something else that is usually not as good

an impure chemical

impurely adverb

Medical Definition

impure

adjective

im·​pure (ˈ)im-ˈpyu̇(ə)r 

: not pure: as

a

: containing something unclean

impure water

b

: mixed or impregnated with an extraneous and usually unwanted substance : adulterated

an impure chemical