Meaning & use
impure
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Mixed with other substances that make something unclean, contaminated, or less pure.
Grammar: Can be used with 'very' or in the comparative: more impure, most impure.
Patterns
- impure water
- impure substances
The villagers became ill after drinking impure water.
The chemical was impure and had to be purified before use.
Impure gold is softer and less valuable than pure gold.
adjectivecomparableliteraryold-fashioned
Morally wrong or sinful, especially in a sexual way.
Grammar: Often used in religious or literary contexts; can be used with 'very'.
Patterns
- impure thoughts
- impure desires
He prayed to be forgiven for his impure thoughts.
The novel was banned for its impure descriptions.
Word forms
| comparative | impurer |
|---|---|
| superlative | impurest |
Common combinations
- impure water
- Boiling the impure water made it safe to drink.
- impure substance
- The lab technician discarded the impure substance.
- impure thoughts
- The monk struggled to control his impure thoughts.
Synonyms and how they differ
- contaminated
- Contaminated is used for things polluted by harmful substances; impure is broader and can mean simply not pure.
- unclean
- Unclean often has a religious or moral sense; impure is more neutral in scientific contexts.
- adulterated
- Adulterated means made impure by adding inferior substances, often deliberately; impure can happen naturally.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: impure or impure?
impure vs impure
Not to be confused with 'impure' as a verb; the verb is 'impurify' (rare).
Practice
The water in the well was ______ and not safe to drink.
Choose one answer.
The adjective 'impure' describes the water. 'Impurely' is an adverb, 'impurity' is a noun, and 'impureness' is a rare noun not used here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “impure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.