as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to violate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of defile
Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
Almost 200 species of birds have been seen in high-walled Ramsey Canyon, a lush defile in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista that's managed by the Nature Conservancy.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
William adamantly reminds his father that Jane was trying to save her sister from being defiled by a man who had paid to take her maidenhead.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Noun
Amy Baker Harrison was indicted by a Stafford County grand jury on Monday for the first-degree murder of Jacqueline Lard, as well as abduction with the intent to defile, aggravated malicious wounding and breaking and entering with the intent to commit murder, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
Almost 200 species of birds have been seen in high-walled Ramsey Canyon, a lush defile in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista that's managed by the Nature Conservancy.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022
Verb
Last Blood is a straightforward revenge story about a broken man who vows to kill those who defiled and murdered his surrogate niece.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
William adamantly reminds his father that Jane was trying to save her sister from being defiled by a man who had paid to take her maidenhead.
—Lincee Ray, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defile
Noun
-
On the peninsula itself, a narrow strip protruding southward with the canyon wall plunging around it, park crews had chipped some wood and burned some piles over the past decade.—
Brandon Loomis,
AZCentral.com,
29 July 2025
-
Monterey Bay is a top spot for whale watching, thanks to a 6,000-foot-deep submarine canyon just offshore, which is comparable in size to the Grand Canyon.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
Verb
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If contaminated floodwater is swallowed, or pollutes drinking water, this can lead to gastrointestinal illnesses such as stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
-
For decades, biologists have studied how cities affect wildlife by altering food supplies, fragmenting habitats and polluting the environment.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Under the proposal, violating the permit restrictions would carry a $150 fine.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
23 July 2025
-
Then, in November 2023, a mistrial was declared in a federal trial over whether Hankison violated the civil rights of Taylor, her boyfriend and neighbors after the jury could not come to a decision.—
Josh Wood,
The Courier-Journal,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
The fire was started by lightning Thursday on the park’s south rim, a dramatic, deep gorge carved by the Gunnison River.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
15 July 2025
-
True to her word (in this case, at least), Alex slams on the brakes, but the ’cuda — which has been on its last legs for a couple episodes now — doesn’t stop, and the car careers into the gorge.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Silverstein poisons her argument, and thus grossly diminishes it, by introducing these political considerations that have nothing to do with antisemitism.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 July 2025
-
The algae have poisoned more than 4,500 square kilometers (1,737 square miles) of the state’s waters – an area larger than Rhode Island – littering beaches with carcasses and ravaging an area known for its diversity.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
26 July 2025
Verb
-
To approximate that art entirely by proxy, without confronting the drama, is to desecrate it.—
Sheldon Pearce,
NPR,
17 June 2025
-
Anyone who desecrates these sacred places will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 July 2025
-
Deputies arrived to find one of the vehicles had crashed into a ravine, causing a fire, Payman said.—
Susan Gill Vardon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 July 2025
-
Surrounded by the high-desert peaks and grassland valleys of the Rocky Mountains’ Front Range, the gathering is known for its laidback, easygoing environment.—
Garret K. Woodward,
Rolling Stone,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defile. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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