Another word for sterile
sterile
modif.
Incapable of producing young
infertile, impotent, childless, infecund, barren, issueless, without issue.
Antonyms fertile*, productive, potent.
Incapable of producing vegetation
desolate, fallow, waste, desert, arid, dry, barren, unproductive, fruitless, unfruitful, bleak, gaunt; see also empty 1.
Antonyms rich*, productive, fertile.
Scrupulously clean
antiseptic, septic, sterilized, disinfected, decontaminated, germ-free, sterilized, uninfected, sanitary, hygienic, pasteurized; see also pure 2.
Antonyms dirty*, infected, contaminated.
Without intellectual interest
uninspiring, stupid, stale; see dull 4, shallow 2.
Unprofitable
fruitless, profitless, unproductive; see worthless 1, useless 1.
sterile and infertile imply incapability of producing offspring or fruit, as because of some disorder of the reproductive system; barren and unfruitful are specifically applied to a sterile woman or to plants or soil; impotent is specif. applied to a man who cannot engage in sexual intercourse, especially because of an inability to have an erection. All of these words have figurative uses sterile thinking, an infertile mind, a barren victory, unfruitful efforts, impotent rage
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Another word for sterile
Unable to produce offspring:
barren, childless, impotent, infertile, unfruitful. See richLacking or unable to produce growing plants or crops:
barren, infertile, unfruitful, unproductive. See richFree or freed from microorganisms:
sanitized, sterilized. See cleanLacking originality:
uncreative, unimaginative, uninspired, uninventive, unoriginal. See richLacking liveliness, charm, or surprise:
arid, aseptic, colorless, drab, dry, dull, earthbound, flat, flavorless, lackluster, lifeless, lusterless, matter-of-fact, pedestrian, prosaic, spiritless, stodgy, unimaginative, uninspired. See excite
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