adulterating
Tainting with impurities
Adulterating is making something impure by adding inferior or contaminated substances.
The term applies especially to food, drugs, or other products where purity matters: adulterating milk with water, adulterating heroin with fentanyl.
The word carries connotations of deception—passing off degraded goods as genuine.
Introducing harmful contaminants
- taintingPolluting or corrupting
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- toxinsHarmful biological substances
- pesticidesChemicals destroying harmful organisms
chemicals · pathogens · bacteria · spoiling · fouling · hazardous · impurities · residues
Supplying with moisture
- weakeningBecoming less strong
- thinningReducing density or number
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- mixingCombining into one mass
blending · reducing · stretching · extending · attenuating · tempering · doctoring · spiking
Reducing in value
- degradingLowering in worth
- corruptingCausing moral decay
- compromisingExposing to harm or scandal
- loweringMoving something downward
diminishing · undermining · devaluing · perverting · bastardizing · vitiating · falsifying · distorting
Dividing via sharp edge
- dilutingLessening strength by mixing
- stretchingExtending muscles or material
- bulkingGaining size intentionally
- fillerSubstance closing gaps
substitution · mislabeling · counterfeit · melamine · horsemeat · honey · saffron · extender
polluting
Introducing harmful contaminants
- taintingPolluting or corrupting
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- toxinsHarmful biological substances
pesticides · chemicals · pathogens · bacteria · spoiling · fouling · hazardous · impurities · residues · lead
watering
Supplying with moisture
mixing · blending · reducing · stretching · extending · attenuating · tempering · doctoring · spiking · lacing
cheapening
Reducing in value
- degradingLowering in worth
- corruptingCausing moral decay
- compromisingExposing to harm or scandal
lowering · diminishing · undermining · devaluing · perverting · bastardizing · vitiating · falsifying · distorting · tampering
cutting
Dividing via sharp edge
- dilutingLessening strength by mixing
- stretchingExtending muscles or material
- bulkingGaining size intentionally
filler · substitution · mislabeling · counterfeit · melamine · horsemeat · honey · saffron · extender · additive
- contaminationpolluting, contaminating, fouling, tainting, poisoning
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
- deterioratingdecaying, decomposing, degrading, rotting, eroding
adulteratingpurifying
Removing unwanted substances
cleansing · purging · decontaminating · filtering · refining
adulteratingconcentrating
Directing mental effort narrowly
fortifying · enriching · intensifying · strengthening · potentiating
adulteratingpreserving
Protecting from deterioration
authenticating · restoring · fortifying · enriching · maintaining