Definition

The act of making something impure or less valuable by adding another substance that is not wanted or is harmful.

Example

The adulteration of food products can pose serious health risks to consumers.

Conversation

Have you heard about the adulteration scandal with that brand of olive oil?

Yeah, I read something about it; they mixed cheap oils to save money.

It’s so disappointing because I used to trust that brand.

I know, it really makes you question what you're buying.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Adulteration → It is formed from "adulterare" (meaning to corrupt or make impure) and the suffix "-tion" (indicating the action or process). The word refers to the process of making something impure or corrupting it, especially in the context of food or substances.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'adulterate' which means to 'corrupt' or 'make impure' — and the '-tion' indicates the action of doing this. So, adulteration is the action of corrupting something.

Visually Confused Words