pollutant

noun

pol·​lut·​ant pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt How to pronounce pollutant (audio)
: something that pollutes

Examples of pollutant in a Sentence

filtered the pollutants out of the water
Recent Examples on the Web Vehicle exhaust is made up of all sorts of pollutants, including carbon monoxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and carbon emissions that contribute to a warming world, which is also itself a major threat to health. Ella Nilsen, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 Fossil-fuel burning trucks spew alarming amounts of greenhouse gases, dangerous nitrogen oxides, lung-clogging particulate matter and a toxic stew of other pollutants. Russ Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The white trailer blends into the winter landscape at SKB Environmental’s landfill, but inside, machinery is working to capture one of the most pervasive environmental pollutants of our time. Chloe Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2024 The current annual health standard for such pollutants is 12 micrograms per cubic meter. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 The refinery is not allowed to discharge any pollutants into the ditch, but stormwater runoff and seepage from a plume of contaminated groundwater can make its way into that waterway. Noelle Phillips, The Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Electric lawn equipment emits none of those pollutants. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 In fact, the EPA estimates that on average Americans spend roughly 90% percent inside where the concentrations of some pollutants can be 2-5 times higher than outdoor concentrations. Meggen Harris, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 After decades of improvements due to regulations like the Clean Air Act of 1970 that restricted pollutants spewed by factories and cars, the nation has recently seen a rise in poor air quality linked to global warming, separate research recently showed. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pollutant was in 1892

Dictionary Entries Near pollutant

Cite this Entry

“Pollutant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollutant. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pollutant

noun
pol·​lut·​ant pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt How to pronounce pollutant (audio)
: something that pollutes

Medical Definition

pollutant

noun
pol·​lut·​ant pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt How to pronounce pollutant (audio)
: something that pollutes

More from Merriam-Webster on pollutant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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