Home Synonyms sterile

Synonyms of sterile in English:

sterile


See US English definition of sterile

See UK English definition of sterile

See Spanish definition of estéril

adjective

1‘the treatment left her sterile’

SYNONYMS
infertile
childless
technical infecund
archaic barren
ANTONYMS

fertile, fecund

2‘vast tracts of sterile desert land’

SYNONYMS
unproductive, infertile, unfruitful, uncultivatable
arid, dry, barren, lifeless, desert
ANTONYMS

rich, fertile, productive

3‘a sterile debate’

SYNONYMS
pointless, profitless, unproductive, unfruitful, fruitless, unrewarding, abortive, unsuccessful, ineffectual, ineffective, worthless, useless, unprofitable, futile, vain, idle
archaic bootless
rare unfructuous
ANTONYMS

fruitful

4‘sterile academicism’

SYNONYMS
unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, unoriginal, derivative, stale, lifeless, musty
ANTONYMS

creative, original

5‘the cells can be propagated in sterile conditions’

SYNONYMS
aseptic, sterilized, germ-free, antiseptic, disinfected, uninfected, uncontaminated, unpolluted, pure, clean
sanitary, hygienic
ANTONYMS

septic