adulterate — to make (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to make (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance
Pronunciation (IPA): /əˈdʌltəreɪt/
Example Sentences
- The chef was horrified to discover someone had adulterated his signature sauce with ketchup.
- Food inspectors found that the honey was adulterated with corn syrup.
- My grandmother swears someone adulterated her secret recipe, but I think she just forgot an ingredient.
adulterate
VERB[/əˈdʌltəreɪt/]
to make (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance
a sneaky cook pours water from a pitcher into a container of fresh milk while looking around nervously. The pure white milk becomes diluted and watery as the clear water mixes in. Before the addition, the milk was thick and creamy, but now it appears thin and pale. Other kitchen staff work in the background, unaware of the deceptive act happening nearby. A customer waiting at the counter expects to receive pure, quality milk for their order. the milk being made poorer in quality by adding another substance
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin adulteratus, meaning 'to corrupt or make impure.' Despite sharing the same root as 'adult,' this word developed specifically to mean contaminating something pure with inferior substances.
Breakdown
adulter- (to corrupt, pollute) + -ate (verb suffix meaning 'to make or cause')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The chef was horrified to discover someone had adulterated his signature sauce with ketchup.”
“Food inspectors found that the honey was adulterated with corn syrup.”
“My grandmother swears someone adulterated her secret recipe, but I think she just forgot an ingredient.”
“The company was fined heavily for adulterating their supplements with cheaper fillers.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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