Filter — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈfil-tər/ fil·ter

Meaning & Definition of Filter

Filter (noun)

  1. a porous article or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out matter in suspension
  2. an apparatus containing a filter medium
  3. a device or material for suppressing or minimizing waves or oscillations of certain frequencies (as of electricity, light, or sound)

Filter (verb)

  1. to subject to the action of a filter
  2. to remove by means of a filter
  3. to pass or move through or as if through a filter

Filter (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to pass through a filter

    "steep the tea and then filter it to get rid of the leaves"

    similar: screen, strain
    related: leach, percolate

  2. to remove usually visible impurities from

    "after frying the chicken, we filtered the oil and kept it in the refrigerator to use again"

    similar: clarify, clear, distill, fine, garble, purify
    related: process, rectify, refine, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, elutriate, purge, wash, extract, leach, bolt, screen, sieve, sift, disinfect, sanitize
    near: cloud, dull, muddy, contaminate, dirty, soil, defile, pollute, taint, begrime, besmirch, foul, sully

Filter (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in purifier, refiner

    similar: clarifier, purifier, refiner, cleanliness, immaculateness, purity
    opposite: adulterant, contaminant, contamination, defilement, impurity, pollutant, blot, blotch, spot, stain, taint, dirt, filth, grime, muck, scum, sludge, smut, soil

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Filter

The most common words with a similar meaning to Filter:

screen, strain, clarify, clear, distill, fine, garble, purify, clarifier, purifier, refiner, cleanliness, immaculateness, purity

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Filter

Words with the opposite meaning of Filter:

adulterant, contaminant, contamination, defilement, impurity, pollutant, blot, blotch, spot, stain, taint, dirt, filth, grime, muck, scum, sludge, smut, soil

Related Words for Filter

leach, percolate, process, rectify, refine, clean, cleanse, decontaminate, elutriate, purge, wash, extract, bolt, sieve, sift, disinfect, sanitize

Near Antonyms of Filter

cloud, dull, muddy, contaminate, dirty, defile, pollute, begrime, besmirch, foul, sully

Word Forms of Filter

Inflections: filters, filtered, filtering

Origin & Etymology of Filter

Middle English filtre "felt, felt carpet, piece of felt used as a filter," borrowed from Medieval Latin filtrum "felt cloth, cover or blanket of felt, piece of felt used as a filter," borrowed from *filtir (going back to *filtizō) in a West Germanic language, plural of *filt-, *felt- "felted cloth" felt:1

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Filter

Words & Phrases Containing Filter

filter bed, filter bubble, filter feeder, filter paper, filter tip, band-pass filter, color filter, spam filter

Frequently Asked Questions about Filter

What does "Filter" mean?

"Filter" means a porous article or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out matter in suspension. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a porous article or mass (as of paper or sand) through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out matter in suspension. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Filter"?

Other words for "Filter" include screen, strain, clarify, clear, distill, fine, garble and purify. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Filter" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Filter"?

There are 31 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Filter". Common alternatives include screen, strain, clarify, clear, distill, fine, garble, purify, clarifier and purifier.

What is the opposite of "Filter"?

Antonyms of "Filter" include adulterant, contaminant, contamination, defilement, impurity, pollutant, blot and blotch. Near antonyms include cloud, dull, muddy and contaminate.

How do you use "Filter" in a sentence?

Examples of "Filter" in a sentence: "steep the tea and then filter it to get rid of the leaves"; "after frying the chicken, we filtered the oil and kept it in the refrigerator to use again".

Is "Filter" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Filter" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Filter" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Filter" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Filter"?

"Filter" is pronounced /ˈfil-tər/ and divided into syllables as fil·ter.