verb
adulterate
uh-DUL-tuh-rayt/əˈdʌltəreɪt/
To make impure by adding inferior or harmful substances.
The merchant adulterates the tea by mixing in cheap dry leaves.
Etymology
Latin adulterare meant to falsify or corrupt. In this material sense, corruption takes the form of mixing in foreign or inferior matter, making the original substance less pure or poorer in quality.
In context
in the past they used to use rice syrup to adulterate their honeys and make it go further. But then different labs developed testing to authenticate the honey and detect if there is any fraudulent sugars in it.
More examples
- Investigators discovered that the milk had been adulterated with water.
- Adding inferior oil would adulterate the premium product.
- The company was accused of adulterating its ingredients.
Forms
adulterate · adulterates · adulterated · adulterating
adulteration noun — The addition of inferior material that reduces purity.
adulterant noun — A substance added that reduces purity or quality.
Similar words
- dilute
- Reduces concentration but does not necessarily imply deception or inferiority.
- contaminate
- Can involve accidental introduction of unwanted or harmful material.