POLLUTE Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'pollute' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pollute are contaminate , defile , and taint . While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," 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

Q: When can 'contaminate' be used instead of 'pollute'?

The words contaminate and pollute can be used in similar contexts, but contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source. // water contaminated by industrial wastes

Q: When is 'defile' a more appropriate choice than 'pollute'?

The words defile and pollute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'taint' instead of 'pollute'?

The synonyms taint and pollute are sometimes interchangeable, but taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination. // tainted meat // a politician's tainted reputation

pollute

verb

pə-ˈlüt

Definition of pollute next

as in to contaminate

to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable outmoded factories polluting the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb pollute contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pollute are contaminate, defile, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," 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

When can contaminate be used instead of pollute?

The words contaminate and pollute can be used in similar contexts, but contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

When is defile a more appropriate choice than pollute?

The words defile and pollute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

When is it sensible to use taint instead of pollute?

The synonyms taint and pollute are sometimes interchangeable, but taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat

a politician's tainted reputation

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of pollute The American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2024 listed the Los Angeles area as one of the top 10 cities polluted by year-round particle pollution. —

Jen Christensen, CNN, 13 Jan. 2025 Out of 182 samples of seafood, 180 of them were polluted with anthropogenic particles. —

Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025 Activists behind the suit against the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) say that the wastewater contains metal and polluting chemicals used at the south Texas launch site. —

Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 No matter the political complications, countries continued to deploy clean energy at a rapid clip this year driven by economics (renewables are often cheaper than fossil fuels) and energy-security concerns (producing clean electricity at home means less reliance on polluting imports). —

Justin Worland, TIME, 26 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pollute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollute

Verb

Any bags containing raw meat where juices may have leaked and contaminated the bag should be thrown away to prevent bacteria growth or cross-food contamination.

— Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2025
Recalls are often issued for food products that have been contaminated by salmonella.

— Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 1 Feb. 2025