adulteration

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "adulteration" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to the act of altering or contaminating something by adding impure or inferior substances. Example: The adulteration of the organic food caused an upset stomach for the customer.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Moreover, the differences were big enough that even a 50 50 mixture could be identified, enabling adulterated Kopi Luwak, as well as stuff masquerading as it, to be detected.Whether lower levels of adulteration than that can be detected remains to be seen.

The Economist

The result is the industry's lowest adulteration rate.

The Economist

An increased provincial influence in Rome, while leading to an adulteration of the pure classical forms, contributed to the cosmopolitan outlook that was reflected in the psychologically perceptive and humanist tone of much of the best works of the period.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The downward course began in the 19th century, with loss of originality and a falling off, due to adulteration, in the quality of the material.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Regardless of the method of decaffeination, some adulteration of the coffee bean results along the way, and in no case is 100 percent of caffeine removed.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The later periods were characterized by more elaborate detail, but adulteration of the gold with bronze and other metallic powders was often prevalent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The misuse of melamine, namely the adulteration of various food products with the chemical, raised significant public health and food safety concerns in the first decade of the 21st century.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Other early legislation dealt mainly with adulteration of food and drugs.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Police and food hygiene officers raided and shut down a British abattoir and a meat manufacturer tonight as part of an inquiry into the adulteration of beef products with horsemeat.

Independent

I think we could have a much safer food system and food supply, if we applied the rules of adulteration across the board, regardless of the product, and we had an inspection core that would actually be available.

Independent

It added: "MosKa is currently producing new products with our own formulation and production process to ensure there is no adulteration and no hidden ingredients".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing food or drug safety, use "adulteration" to specifically highlight the act of making a product impure or unsafe through the addition of foreign substances.

Common error

Don't use "adulteration" when merely referring to accidental or unintentional contamination. "Adulteration" implies a deliberate act of adding a substance to lower the quality or deceive consumers.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "adulteration" is as a noun, denoting the act of making something impure or inferior by adding extraneous substances. As Ludwig AI indicates, the term is used to describe the process itself.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Encyclopedias

26%

Science

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "adulteration" functions as a noun to describe the act of making something impure or of lower quality, often in contexts involving food, drugs, or other manufactured goods. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase follows standard grammar rules and is acceptable for use. Its communicative purpose often expresses concern or condemnation. The phrase is most frequently found in news and media sources, as well as encyclopedias, indicating a neutral to formal register. When using "adulteration", it's crucial to distinguish it from simple contamination, as it implies a deliberate act. Alternative phrases such as "contamination", "debasement", and "dilution" can be used depending on the nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

contamination

Focuses on the impurity introduced, rather than the act of altering.

debasement

Emphasizes the reduction in quality or value.

dilution

Highlights the weakening effect of adding a substance.

spoiling

Implies a loss of freshness or purity.

corruption

Suggests a moral or ethical degradation.

falsification

Focuses on making something untrue or inaccurate.

tampering

Highlights unauthorized or inappropriate alteration.

counterfeiting

Refers specifically to creating a fake version of something.

impairment

Emphasizes the negative effect on function or quality.

degradation

Indicates a decline to a lower quality or condition.

FAQs

How to use "adulteration" in a sentence?

"Adulteration" is used to describe the process of making something impure or of lower quality by adding extraneous, often inferior, ingredients. For example, "The "adulteration of olive oil" with cheaper oils is a common practice."

What can I say instead of "adulteration"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "contamination", "debasement", or "dilution" instead of "adulteration". Each emphasizes a slightly different aspect of the process.

What is the difference between "adulteration" and "contamination"?

"Adulteration" typically implies a deliberate act of adding something to make a product impure or inferior, often for economic gain. "Contamination", on the other hand, can be accidental or unintentional.

Which is correct, "adulteration of food" or "food adulteration"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "food adulteration" is often used as a noun phrase to describe the general concept or issue, while "adulteration of food" specifies the act performed on food.