VITIATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vitiate mean? 

• VITIATE (verb)
  The verb VITIATE has 3 senses:

1. corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality

2. make imperfect

3. take away the legal force of or render ineffective

  Familiarity information: VITIATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VITIATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they vitiate    ... he / she / it vitiates   
Past simple: vitiated   
Past participle: vitiated   
-ing form: vitiating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

corrupt; debase; debauch; demoralise; demoralize; deprave; misdirect; pervert; profane; subvert; vitiate

Context example:

corrupt the morals

Hypernyms (to "vitiate" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "vitiate"):

carnalise; carnalize; sensualise; sensualize (debase through carnal gratification)

infect (corrupt with ideas or an ideology)

lead astray; lead off (teach immoral behavior to)

poison (spoil as if by poison)

bastardise; bastardize (change something so that its value declines; for example, art forms)

suborn (incite to commit a crime or an evil deed)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make imperfect

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

deflower; impair; mar; spoil; vitiate

Context example:

nothing marred her beauty

Hypernyms (to "vitiate" is one way to...):

damage (inflict damage upon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "vitiate"):

cloud; corrupt; defile; sully; taint (place under suspicion or cast doubt upon)

blemish; deface; disfigure (mar or spoil the appearance of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Take away the legal force of or render ineffective

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

invalidate; vitiate; void

Context example:

invalidate a contract

Hypernyms (to "vitiate" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

vitiation (nullification by the destruction of the legal force; rendering null)

 Context examples 

She would not voluntarily give unnecessary pain to any one, and though I may deceive myself, I cannot but think that for me, for my feelings, she would—Hers are faults of principle, Fanny; of blunted delicacy and a corrupted, vitiated mind.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)