Synonyms of pollute

pollute

verb

pə-ˈlüt 

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

• contaminate
• poison
• taint
• befoul
• infect
• defile
• dirty
• foul
• soil
• dilute
• sully
• stain
• besmirch
• blacken
• muddy
• smudge
• adulterate
• spoil
• rot
• corrupt
• foul up
• mire
• water down
• smirch
• grime
• begrime
• doctor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purify
• clean
• clarify
• cleanse
• purge
• clear
• distill
• decontaminate
• filter
• sterilize
• disinfect
• sanitize

Synonym Chooser

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

Recent Examples of pollute

Meta has denied that its Georgia data center is polluting waters. —Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026

Lawyers just can’t stop being caught using AI chatbots, polluting their filings with hallucinated citations that infuriate judges when they’re caught. —Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026

Nothing in art about their being polluting. —Literary Hub, 10 June 2026

Unless the energy powering data centers comes from clean energy sources, such as solar, wind or geothermal, generating that electricity also pollutes the air. —Ed Maibach, The Conversation, 8 June 2026