pollute

verb

pol·​lute pə-ˈlüt How to pronounce pollute (audio)
polluted; polluting
Synonyms of pollutenext

transitive verb

1
a
: to make ceremonially or morally impure : defile
b
: debase sense 1
using language to deceive or mislead pollutes language—Linda C. Lederman
2
a
: to make physically impure or unclean : befoul, dirty
b
: to contaminate (an environment) especially with man-made waste
polluter noun
pollutive
pə-ˈlü-tiv How to pronounce pollute (audio)
adjective

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for pollute

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean.

contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat
a politician's tainted reputation

pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Examples of pollute in a Sentence

Miles of beaches were polluted by the oil spill. Car exhaust pollutes the air.
Recent Examples on the Web How leaks happen Environmental experts say even a pinprick-size hole in an underground tank can send 400 gallons of fuel a year into the ground, polluting soil and water. —Jordan Gass-Pooré, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 May 2024 And once built, farms can further pollute the coasts with runoff like fertilizers and antibiotics. —Erik Vance, New York Times, 28 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for pollute 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pollute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin pollutus, past participle of polluere, from por- (akin to Latin per through) + -luere (akin to Latin lutum mud, Greek lyma dirt, defilement) — more at for

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pollute was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pollute

pollutant

pollute

polluting

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Pollute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollute. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.

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Kids Definition

pollute

verb
pol·​lute pə-ˈlüt How to pronounce pollute (audio)
polluted; polluting
: to make impure
especially : to spoil (as a natural resource) with waste made by humans
industrial wastes polluted the river

Medical Definition

pollute

transitive verb
pol·​lute pə-ˈlüt How to pronounce pollute (audio)
polluted; polluting
1
: to make physically impure or unclean
2
: to contaminate (an environment) especially with man-made waste
polluter noun
pollutive
-ˈlüt-iv How to pronounce pollute (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on pollute

Nglish: Translation of pollute for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pollute for Arabic Speakers

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