contamination
gb/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən/ us/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
harmful impurity or pollution
when something has harmful dirt, germs, chemicals, or pollution in it or on it
Usage pattern:
contamination of [something]; contamination by/with [substance]; [substance] contamination in [place]
Common mistake:
Contamination is usually uncountable. A contaminant is the harmful substance itself.
Synonyms
pollution (especially contamination of air, water, soil, or the environment)
|
infection (contamination by harmful microorganisms in the body or food)
|
tainting (emphasizes loss of purity or acceptability)
|
adulteration (more formal; often involves adding inferior or harmful substances)
Antonyms
decontamination (the process of removing contamination)
|
purity (the state of having no unwanted substances mixed in)
|
sterility (complete freedom from living germs, especially in medical contexts)
Collocations
water contamination
|soil contamination
|food contamination
|bacterial contamination
|chemical contamination
|radioactive contamination
|environmental contamination
|contamination levels
|risk of contamination
|source of contamination
Themes
health
|environment
|food_safety
|science
Examples
- Tests showed high levels of lead contamination in the drinking water.
- Improperly stored meat can lead to bacterial contamination.
- The cleanup focused on soil contamination near the old factory.
Learner examples
- The water had contamination from chemicals.
- Wash your hands to avoid food contamination.
Noun
C1
process
2
compromised evidence or results
when outside material or influence gets into something and makes it less reliable
Usage pattern:
contamination of [evidence/data/samples/results]; contamination between [groups]; prevent contamination from [source]
Common mistake:
Do not use contamination for every negative influence; it usually suggests unwanted outside contact, mixing, or interference.
Synonyms
compromise (emphasizes loss of reliability, security, or validity)
|
corruption (often used for data or systems that have been damaged or altered)
|
taint (suggests that something is made suspect or less trustworthy)
|
bias (applies when outside influence affects judgment or research results)
Antonyms
integrity (reliability and wholeness of evidence, data, or results)
|
independence (absence of unwanted influence between groups or variables)
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isolation (keeping samples or groups separate to prevent contamination)
Collocations
evidence contamination
|sample contamination
|DNA contamination
|data contamination
|contamination of results
|contamination of the control group
|contamination of a crime scene
|prevent contamination
|avoid contamination
|possible contamination
Themes
law
|research
|data
|science
Examples
- The defense argued that poor police handling had caused contamination of the evidence.
- Researchers used separate workstations to prevent contamination of the DNA samples.
- The survey design reduced contamination between the control and treatment groups.
Learner examples
- Bad handling caused contamination of the test results.
- They kept the samples separate to prevent contamination.
Grammar
Dictionary form
contamination
IPA
GB/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən/
US/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
con - tam - in - a - tion (5 syllables)
Stress on 4th syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: contamination
- Plural: contamination, contaminations
Expressions
contamination control
1/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən kəntɹˈoʊl/
fixed phrase
technical
preventing unwanted contamination
systems and rules used to keep unwanted dirt, germs, or particles out of a place or product
Examples
- The pharmaceutical plant follows strict contamination control procedures.
- Air filters and protective clothing are part of the lab's contamination control plan.
- The audit found several weaknesses in the company's contamination control measures.
contamination ocd
1/kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən ˈɑkd/
fixed phrase
technical
OCD fear of contamination
a type of OCD where someone has strong, upsetting fears about germs, dirt, or being contaminated
Examples
- Her therapist treated her contamination OCD with exposure and response prevention.
- People with contamination OCD may avoid touching public door handles or wash their hands repeatedly.
- The article explained common misconceptions about contamination OCD.
cross-contamination
1/kɹˈɔs kəntˌæmənˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
transfer of contamination
when germs or other unwanted material move from one thing to another
Examples
- Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken to avoid cross-contamination.
- The lab changed gloves between samples to prevent cross-contamination.
- The study was designed to minimize cross-contamination between the two groups.