English Reference
adjective

filtered

adj.
US /ˈfɪɫtɝd/ UK /fˈɪltəd/ fil·tered

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    passed through a filter to remove dirt, solid pieces, or impurities.

    having been passed through a porous substance or device to remove suspended particles or impurities.

    Simple

    The office provides filtered water so employees don't have to buy plastic bottles.

    In context

    The laboratory requires filtered air to prevent microscopic dust particles from contaminating the sensitive chemical samples during the experiment.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    light that is less bright because it has passed through something like a curtain or leaves.

    describing light that has been reduced in intensity or changed in quality by passing through a medium.

    Simple

    The filtered sunlight coming through the trees made the forest look peaceful.

    In context

    The photographer preferred the soft, filtered light of the late afternoon, which eliminated the harsh shadows typical of midday sun.

Because the Sun was setting, its light passed through more atmosphere, while smoke from nearby wildfires filtered out even more blue light.

ScienceDaily· 20 Aug 2026

As news of Japan’s military losses filtered down into the camp, hard-liners pushed their peers to fight back against their captors.

Smithsonian Magazine· 5 Aug 2026

From filter + -ed.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated