adulterate
gb/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪt/ us/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪt/
C1
English
hamisít, szennyez, meghamisít, felhígít, szennyezett
VERB
C1
FORMAL
1
hamisít
B2
Usage pattern:
adulterate [food/drink] (with [substance])
The company was fined for adulterating olive oil with cheaper vegetable oils.
A céget megbírságolták, mert olcsóbb növényi olajokkal hamisította az olívaolajat.
Inspectors found that the street vendors had adulterated the milk with water.
Az ellenőrök megállapították, hogy az utcai árusok vízzel felvizezték a tejet.
The report warned that some supplements may be adulterated with prescription drugs.
Learner examples
They adulterated the wine with water.
Vízzel felvizezték a bort.
Adulterated food can be dangerous.
A hamisított étel veszélyes lehet.
Common mistake:
Often confused with dilute; adulterate implies making something impure or dishonest, not just adding water.
Meaning
make food or drink impure
Collocations
adulterate milk
|adulterate wine
|adulterate alcohol
|adulterate spices
|adulterate honey
|adulterate food products
|adulterate with water
|adulterate with chemicals
|illegally adulterate
|adulterated food
Synonyms
contaminate (Emphasizes unwanted pollution; may be accidental, while adulterate is often deliberate.)
|
taint (Suggests spoiling or making unsafe; less specific about adding a substance.)
|
doctor (More informal; suggests tampering, often for dishonest gain.)
Antonyms
purify (Means remove impurities rather than add them.)
|
refine (Means make purer or higher-quality, especially for substances.)
Themes
food
|health
|law
|consumer_goods
Definition
To add something bad or cheap to food or drink.
To make food or drink less pure or lower in quality by adding another substance, often a cheaper or harmful one.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
adulterate [substance/product] (with [material])
The lab rejected the specimen because it had been adulterated during transport.
A labor visszautasította a mintát, mert a szállítás során idegen anyaggal szennyeződött.
Authorities said the fuel was adulterated with solvents to increase profits.
A hatóságok szerint az üzemanyagot oldószerekkel hamisították, hogy nagyobb haszonra tegyenek szert.
The manufacturer recalled the shipment after discovering it was adulterated with an unknown additive.
Learner examples
Someone adulterated the fuel.
Valaki hamisította az üzemanyagot.
The sample was adulterated with dirt.
A mintát földdel szennyezték.
Common mistake:
Not the same as contaminate in all cases: adulterate often implies intentional mixing to cheat or cut costs.
Meaning
make a product impure
Collocations
adulterate gasoline
|adulterate fuel
|adulterate a chemical
|adulterate a drug
|adulterate a sample
|adulterate a batch
|adulterate with impurities
|adulterate with fillers
|adulterated product
|adulterated supply
Synonyms
dilute (Means make weaker by adding liquid; adulterate is broader and often implies deception.)
|
cut (Common for drugs; informal, focused on adding filler to increase quantity.)
|
spike (Implies adding an active ingredient (often hidden), e.g., drugs or drinks.)
Antonyms
purify (Removes impurities and restores purity.)
|
certify (Confirms authenticity or purity rather than undermining it.)
Themes
manufacturing
|science
|consumer_goods
|business
Definition
To make something less pure by mixing in something else.
To make a substance or product impure or inferior by mixing in another material that does not belong there.
VERB
C2
FORMAL
3
meghamisít
C1
felhígít
B2
Usage pattern:
adulterate [idea/record/style] (with [something])
The editor refused to adulterate the author’s voice with trendy slang.
A szerkesztő nem volt hajlandó divatos szlenggel meghamisítani a szerző hangját.
Witnesses said the story was adulterated with rumors as it spread online.
A tanúk szerint a történetet pletykákkal torzították el, ahogy terjedt az interneten.
The committee warned that political pressure could adulterate the research process.
Learner examples
Rumors adulterated the truth.
A pletykák meghamisították az igazságot.
Don’t adulterate the story with extra details.
Ne hígítsd fel a történetet fölösleges részletekkel.
Common mistake:
In figurative use, it is stronger than mix; it implies the original is being spoiled or corrupted.
Meaning
corrupt by adding unwanted elements
Collocations
adulterate the record
|adulterate the evidence
|adulterate the data
|adulterate an argument
|adulterate a tradition
|adulterate a style
|adulterate with ideology
|adulterate with personal bias
|adulterated account
|adulterated version
Synonyms
corrupt (More general; not necessarily about adding something, but about making morally or functionally worse.)
|
taint (Suggests damaging influence; less explicit about mixing components.)
|
distort (Focuses on changing shape/meaning rather than impurity.)
Antonyms
preserve (Keep in its original state without unwanted change.)
|
clarify (Make clearer rather than muddying with extra elements.)
Themes
communication
|culture
|academics
Definition
To make something less good by adding things that do not fit.
To spoil, corrupt, or reduce the quality of something abstract by introducing elements that do not belong or that weaken its original character.
C2
LITERARY
4
szennyezett
B2
Usage pattern:
adulterate [substance/material]
The text contrasts pure gold with adulterate metal alloys.
A szöveg a tiszta aranyt állítja szembe a szennyezett fémötvözetekkel.
In older writing, adulterate is sometimes used where modern English would prefer adulterated.
Régebbi szövegekben az adulterate melléknév olykor ott is előfordul, ahol a mai angol inkább az adulterated alakot használná.
Learner examples
This adjective is uncommon today.
Ez a melléknév ma nem gyakori.
Common mistake:
This adjective is rare in modern English; most contexts use adulterated instead.
Meaning
impure; not pure or genuine
Collocations
adulterate substance
|adulterate mixture
|adulterate form
|adulterate materials
Synonyms
impure (Common modern adjective; does not necessarily imply deliberate mixing.)
|
adulterated (Much more common; past participle used as adjective.)
Antonyms
pure (Not mixed with anything else.)
|
unadulterated (Completely pure; not altered by additions.)
Themes
science
|literature
Definition
Not pure; mixed with something else.
Impure or debased; containing a substance mixed in that lowers quality.
Grammar
Dictionary form
adulterate
IPA
GB/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪt/
US/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
adul - ter - ate (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ter)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: adulterate
- 3rd Person Singular: adulterates
- Present Participle: adulterating
- Past: adulterated
Word family
Forms
adulterates
verb
adulterating
verb
adulterated
verb
Core family
adulteration
noun C1
Related words
adulterant
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unadulterated
adjective C1
Expressions
adulterate [something] with [something]
1/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪt sˈʌmθɪŋ wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
make impure by adding something
To add another substance so it is not pure.
Examples
- They adulterated the turmeric with artificial coloring.
- Some sellers adulterate honey with sugar syrup.
- The report alleged that the pills were adulterated with a stimulant.
Learner examples
- They adulterated the milk with water.
adulterated drugs
1/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪtɪd dɹˈʌɡz/
fixed phrase
formal
illegal drugs mixed with additives
Drugs that have been mixed with other substances.
Examples
- Health officials warned about adulterated drugs circulating in the city.
- The overdose spike was linked to adulterated drugs containing fentanyl.
adulterated food
1/ədˈʌltɚˌeɪtɪd fˈud/
fixed phrase
formal
food made impure or unsafe
Food that has something bad or cheap added to it.
Examples
- The agency issued a public alert about adulterated food products.
- Several people were hospitalized after eating adulterated food from an unlicensed vendor.
Learner examples
- Adulterated food can make you sick.
be adulterated with [something]
1/bˈi ədˈʌltɚˌeɪtɪd wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
be impure because of additives
To contain something added that should not be there.
Examples
- Tests showed the powder was adulterated with a banned drug.
- The cooking oil was adulterated with industrial-grade chemicals.
- Some of the alcohol sold online was adulterated with methanol.
Learner examples
- The medicine was adulterated with another chemical.