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
Her dance team performances were supplanted with physical therapy, and high school classrooms replaced with sterile examination rooms.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
That's due in large part to Chad's fragile health system and is compounded by the many Chadian women who don't have access to a safe and sterile place to deliver.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
Key Takeaways Stark white, cold gray, and pastels can make a home feel sterile, lifeless, or out of place.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
As cinematographer, Soderbergh is slick but never sterile.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
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Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
That's due in large part to Chad's fragile health system and is compounded by the many Chadian women who don't have access to a safe and sterile place to deliver.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 19 Mar. 2025
Key Takeaways Stark white, cold gray, and pastels can make a home feel sterile, lifeless, or out of place.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
As cinematographer, Soderbergh is slick but never sterile.
—Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterile. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
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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