# unadulterated

/ˌənəˈdəɫtɝˌeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ʌnɐdˈʌltəɹˌeɪtɪd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/unadulterated
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

completely pure, with nothing added or mixed in. You use it for strong feelings too, like pure joy with nothing to spoil it.

For teachers: completely pure and not mixed with foreign substances or weakened by other elements. Extended figuratively to emotions, pleasures, or states experienced in undiluted, intense form.

## Examples

- The baby shows unadulterated joy when she laughs.
- After weeks of stress, they enjoyed an evening of unadulterated fun with old friends and good food.
- The memoir captures the unadulterated wonder of childhood summers spent roaming the hills, before adult worries reshaped memory into something more cautious.

## Usage notes

- Typically placed before the noun it modifies; also occurs predicatively after linking verbs.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.