sterile

[ster-il, -ahyl] / ˈstɛr ɪl, -aɪl /

ADJECTIVE

unproductive, clean

Synonyms

STRONGEST

antiseptic arid barren bleak desolate futile hygienic impotent infertile

WEAK

aseptic bare dead decontaminated desert disinfected dry effete empty fallow fruitless gaunt germ-free infecund pasteurized sanitary septic sterilized unfruitful uninfected unprofitable unprolific vain waste without issue

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful contaminated fertile fruitful potent productive profitable unclean unsanitary unsterile

WEAK

dirty

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, officials say that they will need to breed up to 600 million sterile screwworms flies each week in order to fight back the outbreak.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

The fly had been eradicated in the US thanks in large part by dropping millions of sterile flies to mate with wild females.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

The plan is to infect males — which don’t bite — with a bacteria called Wolbachia, which effectively renders them sterile.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

“The sterile white ballroom, with its 40-foot ceilings, gilded chandeliers, and sky-high windows, conveys none of that.”

From Slate • May 18, 2026

An aide led me into a sterile black-and-white room that turned out to be the nurse’s office.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

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