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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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
Individual plants live for 300 years with attractive, but sterile, red flower spikes.
—
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Beautifully photographed by Greig Fraser, the color palette is warm and colorful, not cold and sterile; Daniel Pemberton’s percussive score is curious, bright and emotionally leading.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Beautifully photographed by Greig Fraser, the color palette is warm and colorful, not cold and sterile; Daniel Pemberton’s percussive score is curious, bright and emotionally leading.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
These can be applied directly to the skin with fingers or sterile cotton swabs.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Beautifully photographed by Greig Fraser, the color palette is warm and colorful, not cold and sterile; Daniel Pemberton’s percussive score is curious, bright and emotionally leading.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026
Beautifully photographed by Greig Fraser, the color palette is warm and colorful, not cold and sterile; Daniel Pemberton’s percussive score is curious, bright and emotionally leading.
—Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 2026
These can be applied directly to the skin with fingers or sterile cotton swabs.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
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Leeds actually had three shots extra in their more recent barren spell, 72 to 69, but the average quality of those shooting opportunities was lower.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
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On the drive out, the streets of New Orleans were barren.—
Daniel Brook,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For livestock, this would include potable water, sanitary living conditions and access to a windbreak such as a building or tree line.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Results showed 80% of respondents voted no, citing both sanitary and ethical concerns.—
Reia Li,
AZCentral.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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