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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sterile
What was once dense, lived-in, and rich with context is now sterile, minimal, and vague.
—
Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Because of its invasiveness, growers have developed new varieties that are sterile and won't spread by seed.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 May 2025
Some varieties are sterile and do not produce fruit.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Much of the factory was supposed to be as sterile as an operating room.
—Debbie Cenziper, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Because of its invasiveness, growers have developed new varieties that are sterile and won't spread by seed.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 May 2025
Some varieties are sterile and do not produce fruit.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Much of the factory was supposed to be as sterile as an operating room.
—Debbie Cenziper, CNN Money, 20 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sterile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sterile
Adjective
-
The jetliner heading to Nairobi lost control shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and nose-dived into a barren patch of land.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
13 July 2025
-
Bandits, raiders, and more monsters crawl the barren landscape.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Schrader suggests wiping down cabinetry knobs or pulls, light switches, and doorknobs at least once a month to make your home more sanitary.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
11 July 2025
-
This farming age, as well as more densely populated communities and poor sanitary conditions saw these zoonotic pathogens evolve to better transmit among their new hosts, with no need to use animals as intermediaries anymore.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sterile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sterile. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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