vitiated

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'vitiated' is a valid word in written English.
It is commonly used to describe something that has been spoiled, corrupted, or impaired, either physically or morally. For example: "The vitiated air of the factory left the workers feeling sick and depleted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Autonomy is vitiated by the wholesale invasion of secrecy and privacy.

The Guardian - Tech

They suggested some of the usual rules of evidence might be relaxed, but not be vitiated.

The Economist

Despite ingenuity in argument and resourcefulness of language, the section is vitiated by inconsistencies.

The Economist

And with that Colombia finds itself suddenly contemplating a wide-open election.The court ruled by seven to two that the re-election law would have violated the spirit of the constitution as well as being vitiated by irregularities and "substantial violations of democratic principles".

The Economist

But so far his presidency has been vitiated by a combination of incompetence and a willingness to fall back on the very tactics that he denounced as a candidate.

The Economist

But as a subject of multiple investigations himself, his personal interest in discrediting the courts vitiated his arguments and delayed change.Italy's criminal justice system is the product of a reform that stopped halfway.

The Economist

Many cherished reforms, to India's land-ownership structure, to the cruelties of the caste system and the status of women, had in many parts of India been stalled, vitiated or ignored.

The Economist

Any benefits from extra water supplies will be short-term, and vitiated by floods.No wonder water is expensive, especially for the poor.

The Economist

In one case, the European Court of First Instance declared baldly that the European Commission's merger analysis was "vitiated by a series of errors of assessment".Whether this will be enough to make it go easy on today's deals remains to be seen.

The Economist

The case presented by the European Commission in 2004 in favour of allowing the merger was "vitiated by a manifest error of assessment"; its arguments were incomplete and did not include relevant data.

The Economist

Nor was he eager to discuss his own private life, with its broken marriages and brief, unhappy fling with Iris Murdoch at Oxford itself vitiated by the fact that, in wartime, he could not tell her what he was doing.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "vitiated" when you want to convey that something has been spoiled or corrupted to the point of being ineffective or worthless. It's often appropriate in formal writing to describe abstract concepts or systems that have been damaged.

Common error

While "vitiated" is a perfectly valid word, avoid using it in casual conversation or informal writing. Simpler words like "spoiled" or "ruined" are often more appropriate and sound less pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The word "vitiated" functions primarily as a past participle often used adjectivally to describe a noun that has been corrupted, spoiled, or weakened. It signifies that something's original quality or effectiveness has been negatively affected.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Encyclopedias

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "vitiated" is a past participle denoting something spoiled, corrupted, or impaired. It commonly appears in formal contexts such as news, encyclopedias, and scientific writing, according to the examples found in Ludwig. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is grammatically correct and signals a state of degradation or ineffectiveness. While precise and effective in formal writing, consider simpler alternatives like "spoiled" or "ruined" for more casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spoiled

Implies a reduction in quality or value due to damage or decay.

corrupted

Indicates a loss of purity or integrity, often in a moral sense.

invalidated

Signifies a loss of legal or official force.

impaired

Suggests a weakening or damage that reduces effectiveness.

undermined

Implies a gradual weakening or erosion of power or effectiveness.

compromised

Indicates a weakening of integrity or effectiveness, often through concessions.

debased

Signals a reduction in quality or value, often in a moral or aesthetic sense.

degraded

Denotes a lowering of quality or character.

tainted

Implies contamination or corruption that negatively affects something.

flawed

Indicates the presence of imperfections that detract from overall quality.

FAQs

How can "vitiated" be used in a sentence?

You can use "vitiated" to describe something that has been spoiled, corrupted, or impaired. For example: "The contract was "rendered void" because it was "vitiated" by fraud."

What are some alternatives to using "vitiated"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "spoiled", "corrupted", "invalidated", or "impaired".

Is it correct to say something is "partially vitiated"?

Yes, you can use "partially vitiated" to indicate that something is only partially spoiled or corrupted. This suggests that some value or effectiveness remains, even though it has been compromised.

What is the difference between "vitiated" and "invalidated"?

"Vitiated" generally means to spoil or impair the quality or efficiency of something, while "invalidated" specifically means to make something null and void or without legal force. Therefore, invalidated implies a complete loss of effect, whereas "vitiated" implies an impairment.