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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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of defile
Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022
Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls.
—Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020
Lincee Ray, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025
Naresh Bhatt was arrested in August on a charge of concealing a dead body and now faces charges of murder and physically defiling a dead body after police found evidence in their Manassas Park home that her body was dismembered.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Noun
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
Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls.
—Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020
Verb
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
Naresh Bhatt was arrested in August on a charge of concealing a dead body and now faces charges of murder and physically defiling a dead body after police found evidence in their Manassas Park home that her body was dismembered.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defile
Noun
-
The beautiful undulating canyons have been sculpted by water and time and offer a peacefulness rarely found elsewhere – but watch out for the rattlesnakes and scorpions.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
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Another attraction different from its neighbors, Santa Rosa’s Lobo Canyon is reported to feature spectacular sandstone cliffs, but the trek to the canyon is described by the Park Service as a strenuous 9.6-mile round-trip hike.—
Paul Bersebach,
Oc Register,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
These efforts play a valuable role in addressing the plastic already polluting our oceans.—
Rob Kaplan,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
Runoff from roads, factories, and dumping grounds can also pollute water sources used for crops.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
If an interaction that violates our Community Guidelines occurs, report it to us.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
5 June 2025
-
That has led to China and the US trading barbs in the past week, over which side violated the temporary trade agreement reached in Geneva.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Noun
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The lovely gorge setting makes Screw Auger a popular place to visit in the summer.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
3 June 2025
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There are also a number of other waterfalls—including Cane Creek Falls and Piney Falls—as well as streams, gorges, and dense forests.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
The toxins accumulate in filter-feeding fish, and then poison larger mammals who gobble up the fish in mass quantities.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
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The Louisville Courier Journal documented the connection in their investigation into cartel drugs poisoning Oregon.—
Sean Campbell,
The Conversation,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Read More: The Battle for Our Memory Is the Battle for Our Country But debasing our history through censorship and ideological cherry-picking insults the memory of the nine saints who were murdered at Mother Emanuel, desecrating its sacred space all over again.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
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But the real violence — and the reason audiences presumably pay to see these IP parasites — is what’s done to the characters themselves, as there’s an illicit thrill in desecrating powerful brands, like Disney.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
-
If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
The more recent the song, the more likely that the rerecording will sit in an uncanny valley, not quite different, but not quite the same.—
Tyler Foggatt,
New Yorker,
8 June 2025
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defile. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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