1. Spreading pollution or contamination; especially radioactive contamination
   "The contaminating waste needed special handling";
   - dirty
    
2. Having a degrading or harmful influence
   "The contaminating effects of misinformation";
   - corrupting

1. Make impure in a bad way; make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted substance
   "Don't drink the water — it's contaminated";
   - pollute, foul
    
2. Degrade through harmful influence
   "Social media disinformation can contaminate public discourse";
   - corrupt

See also: infectious

Type of: alter, begrime, bemire [archaic], change, colly [archaic], dirty, grime, modify, soil

Antonym: clean, decontaminate

Encyclopedia: Contaminating