sterile

/ˈsteraɪl/ (bre, ipa) · [stˈɛrəl] /ˈsterəl/ (ame, ipa) · [stˈɛrəl] /ˈster-əl How to pronounce sterile (audio) chiefly British -ˌī(-ə)l How to pronounce sterile (audio)/ (ame, mw)

sterile — adjective

  • sterilepositive
  • sterilercomparative
  • sterilestsuperlative

1. unable to have young, or too poor to grow crops or seeds that can develop

1.形容詞C1
釋義

unable to have young, or too poor to grow crops or seeds that can develop

例句

After several tests, the doctor told Inês that the mare was sterile.

be sterile after medical testing

Years of salt water left the coastal field sterile and cracked.

同義詞
  • infertile

    the usual modern medical word for being unable to have children

  • barren

    more common for land, and can sound old-fashioned for people

  • unproductive

    broader and often used for land or work, not only reproduction

反義詞
  • fertile

    able to produce young or grow crops well

  • productive

    used especially for land that produces crops successfully

文法句型

be sterile after treatment

sterile soil

sterile seeds

用法筆記

Often follows be, become, or leave when a person, animal, plant, or piece of land loses the ability to produce life. Distinguish it from adjective/3, which is about removing bacteria rather than reproduction or growth.

常見錯誤

❌The treatment made him sterile to have children.
✅The treatment made him sterile.
💡After make sterile, describe the result directly instead of adding to have children.

2. lacking fresh ideas, energy, or warmth, so it feels dull and produces little of

2.形容詞C1
釋義

lacking fresh ideas, energy, or warmth, so it feels dull and produces little of value

例句

The meeting turned sterile once everyone repeated last year's plan.

turn sterile when ideas run out

Critics called the sequel sterile despite its huge special-effects budget.

同義詞
  • dull

    more everyday and broader, without the idea of emotional coldness

  • lifeless

    stresses the absence of energy more strongly

  • clinical

    can be similar for spaces, often suggesting a cold, impersonal feel

反義詞
  • lively

    full of energy, movement, or human warmth

  • imaginative

    shows fresh ideas and creative thinking

文法句型

a sterile debate

feel sterile

sterile design

用法筆記

Often describes rooms, art, discussion, or writing that feel emotionally cold or lacking fresh ideas. Distinguish it from adjective/3, which describes physical cleanliness, not mood or creativity.

常見錯誤

❌The office was sterile because no one cleaned it.
✅The office felt sterile because it had white walls and no personal photos.
💡In this sense, sterile means cold or lifeless, not dirty.

3. completely clean and kept free from bacteria or other living organisms

3.形容詞C1
釋義

completely clean and kept free from bacteria or other living organisms

例句

The nurse opened the sterile pack beside the operating table.

sterile + medical equipment

Please keep the needle sterile until the shot is ready.

keep + object + sterile

同義詞
  • germ-free

    more everyday and often used outside formal medical writing

  • disinfected

    focuses on a cleaning process, not always the final condition

  • sanitized

    common in hygiene contexts, but may allow a lower standard than sterile

反義詞
  • contaminated

    has unwanted harmful material or microorganisms on it

  • unclean

    broader and weaker, often about visible dirt instead of germs

文法句型

sterile equipment

keep something sterile

sterile conditions

用法筆記

Usually used in medical, scientific, or food-preparation contexts for tools, surfaces, and containers. Distinguish it from adjective/2, which describes something dull in style rather than free from bacteria.

常見錯誤

❌Boil the spoon until it is clean.
✅Boil the spoon until it is sterile.
💡Clean means no visible dirt; sterile means free from bacteria.