defile

verb de·file \ di-ˈfī(-ə)l , dē- \

Updated on: 8 Apr 2018

Definition of defile

defiled; defiling

transitive verb

: to make unclean or impure: such as

a : to corrupt the purity or perfection of : debase

the countryside defiled by billboards

b : to violate the chastity or virginity of : deflower

c : to make physically unclean especially with something unpleasant or contaminating

boots defiled with blood

… I had never allowed anyone to smoke in the truck. Drunk as I was, I knew that I was betraying something by allowing him to defile the truck's interior.
—Patrick Moore

d : to violate the sanctity of : desecrate

defile a sanctuary

went to jail for costuming themselves in the American flag and thus defiling it
—James R. Gaines

e : sully, dishonor

defile his reputation

—

defilement

play \-ˈfī(-ə)l-mənt\ noun

—

defiler

play \-ˈfī-lər\ noun

defile was our Word of the Day on 04/05/2017. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

But the tragedy most deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, who felt that one of their beloved safe spaces had been defiled, and who felt further targeted and alienated in their country.

— claudia connors, Seventeen, "I Lost Hope After the Pulse Shooting, But The March for Our Lives Renewed It," 26 Mar. 2018
And, usually, the environment for Indians is being defiled.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Jackson Browne elated to perform benefit concerts for Quiltman, his Native American musician friend," 21 Feb. 2018
This time, team and pitcher defiled one another over a mere $250,000 difference.

— gabe lacques, USA TODAY, "MLB's angry winter continues: Arbitration case will 'fuel the fire' for Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman," 15 Feb. 2018
And many reports of Trump’s decision-making suggest that the strongest consideration in any decision is the chance to defile or destroy something associated with Obama.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "There’s a Pretty Good Chance President Trump Is Being Blackmailed," 16 Feb. 2018
His family, citing their Muslim faith, which doesn’t allow for bodies to be defiled after death, did not allow his brain to be analyzed.

— tod leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rashaan Salaam's Heisman Trophy going up for auction," 12 Dec. 2017
To the very end no image of Churchill defiles the sanctity of this film’s safe space.

— dorothy rabinowitz, WSJ, "The Dumbing Down of ‘Dunkirk’," 20 July 2017
His contempt for tourists and transplants who don’t abide the old folkways is uncompromised — young people show up to get drunk and defile the East Village, never to teach poor children in Brownsville.

— ginia bellafante, New York Times, "Tracking the Hyper-Gentrification of New York, One Lost Knish Place at a Time," 27 Sep. 2017
Defiled and broken as the once-great automobile capital can seem, the past five years have seen great progress.

— kat bein, Billboard, "Movement Festival 2017 Brought Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, 30K Techno Fans, and Triumph to Detroit," 31 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'defile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of defile

Middle English, alteration (influenced by filen to defile, from Old English fȳlan) of defoilen to trample, defile, from Anglo-French defoiller, defuler, to trample, from de- + fuller, foller to trample, literally, to full — more at full

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of defile

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean. contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

- water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

- tainted meat
- a politician's tainted reputation

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

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

defile

noun de·file \ di-ˈfī(-ə)l , ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l \

Definition of defile

geology

: a narrow passage (as between hills, rocks, or cliffs) : ¹gorge

… come to us from a narrow defile in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy, a place called the Great St. Bernard Pass.
—Michael Olmert

See defile defined for English-language learners

Examples of defile in a Sentence

the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

Harrison is facing charges of abduction with intent to defile, and use of a firearm in the commission of abduction.

— breanna edwards, The Root, "12-Year-Old Va. Boy Jumps Out of Car Moving 60 MPH to Escape Armed Abductor," 24 Oct. 2017
Those include murder in the commission of a rape and murder during an abduction with intent to defile.

— CBS News, "Muslim teen slain walking to Virginia mosque was also raped: indictment," 17 Oct. 2017
And just above that, the Louis Vuitton clock punctured the darkness like a moon in the night and the FW 2013 Train defile was the first thing that came to mind.

— nausheen shah, Marie Claire, "Paris Fashion Week S/S 2014: Louis Vuitton," 3 Oct. 2013

Origin and Etymology of defile

French défilé, from past participle of défiler — see ³defile

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1685

See Words from the same year

defile Synonyms

Synonyms

canyon (also cañon), couloir, flume, gap, gorge, gulch, gulf, notch, pass, ravine;

dale, dell, glen, hollow, shut-in, vale, valley;

basin, floodplain, kettle;

arroyo, coulee, draw, gully (also gulley), gutter, trench, trough;

defile

verb de·file \ di-ˈfī(-ə)l , ˈdē-ˌfī(-ə)l \

Definition of defile

defiled; defiling

intransitive verb

military

: to march off in a line

… breaks out into a brave and glorious descripion of the forces, as they defiled through the principal gate of the city …
—Washington Irving

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

But the tragedy most deeply impacted the LGBTQ+ community, who felt that one of their beloved safe spaces had been defiled, and who felt further targeted and alienated in their country.

— claudia connors, Seventeen, "I Lost Hope After the Pulse Shooting, But The March for Our Lives Renewed It," 26 Mar. 2018
This time, team and pitcher defiled one another over a mere $250,000 difference.

— gabe lacques, USA TODAY, "MLB's angry winter continues: Arbitration case will 'fuel the fire' for Blue Jays' Marcus Stroman," 15 Feb. 2018
And, usually, the environment for Indians is being defiled.

— george varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Jackson Browne elated to perform benefit concerts for Quiltman, his Native American musician friend," 21 Feb. 2018
And many reports of Trump’s decision-making suggest that the strongest consideration in any decision is the chance to defile or destroy something associated with Obama.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "There’s a Pretty Good Chance President Trump Is Being Blackmailed," 16 Feb. 2018
His contempt for tourists and transplants who don’t abide the old folkways is uncompromised — young people show up to get drunk and defile the East Village, never to teach poor children in Brownsville.

— ginia bellafante, New York Times, "Tracking the Hyper-Gentrification of New York, One Lost Knish Place at a Time," 27 Sep. 2017
His family, citing their Muslim faith, which doesn’t allow for bodies to be defiled after death, did not allow his brain to be analyzed.

— tod leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Rashaan Salaam's Heisman Trophy going up for auction," 12 Dec. 2017
To the very end no image of Churchill defiles the sanctity of this film’s safe space.

— dorothy rabinowitz, WSJ, "The Dumbing Down of ‘Dunkirk’," 20 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of defile

French défiler, from dé- de- + filer to move in a column — more at file

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1705

See Words from the same year

DEFILE Defined for English Language Learners

defile

noun

Definition of defile for English Language Learners

: a narrow passage through mountains

Law Dictionary

defile

transitive verb de·file \ di-ˈfīl \

legal Definition of defile

defiled; defiling

: to dishonor by physical acts (as trampling, dirtying, or mutilating)

defiling the flag

—

defilement

noun

—

defiler

noun

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defile

Definition of defile

defilement

defiler

defile was our Word of the Day on 04/05/2017. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

Origin and Etymology of defile

Synonym Discussion of defile

defile

Definition of defile

Examples of defile in a Sentence

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

Origin and Etymology of defile

defile Synonyms

Synonyms

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defile

Definition of defile

Recent Examples of defile from the Web

Origin and Etymology of defile

DEFILE Defined for English Language Learners

defile

Definition of defile for English Language Learners

Law Dictionary

defile

legal Definition of defile

defilement

defiler

Learn More about defile

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