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Synonyms

antiseptic

American  
[an-tuh-sep-tik] / ˌæn təˈsɛp tɪk /

adjective

  1. pertaining to or affecting antisepsis.

  2. free from or cleaned of germs and other microorganisms.

  3. exceptionally clean or neat.

  4. free of contamination or pollution.

noun

  1. an antiseptic agent.

antiseptic British  
/ ˌæntɪˈsɛptɪk /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or effecting antisepsis

  2. entirely free from contamination

  3. informal lacking spirit or excitement; clinical

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. an antiseptic agent or substance

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
antiseptic Scientific  
/ ăn′tĭ-sĕp′tĭk /

  1. A substance that inhibits the proliferation of infectious microorganisms.

Other Word Forms

  • antiseptically adverb

Etymology

Origin of antiseptic

First recorded in 1745–55; anti- + septic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Mark Joseph Stern: It sounds antiseptic, but it’s absolutely atrocious.

From Slate • Feb. 28, 2026

I reclined in the exam chair as Shalom parted my hair into sections and cleansed the area with an antiseptic liquid.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

Though the sunshine of free speech remains the best antiseptic against poison, Mr. Carlson is more interested in the spotlight than serious debate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

While bemoaning the antiseptic, “look, don’t touch” aesthetic of modern cinema, Benedict did find time to tie it to the way we live, saying that the inhumanity of modern homes has crept into our bodies.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2025

A first-aid kit with bandages and tubes of antiseptic paste and small scissors.

From "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.