defile

verb de·file \ di-ˈfī(-ə)l , dē- \

|Updated on: 27 Jul 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: defile in a Sentence

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

Allegiances shift and high jinks ensue as our cursing, sword-swinging protagonist gets incarcerated, blown up, shot, stabbed, defiled and maimed in order to do the right thing.

— brian truitt, USA TODAY, "Review: Delightfully wacky 'Deadpool 2' raises the superhero bar from hit original," 14 May 2018
As one of the most popular game reserves in the country, Sibuya is unfortunately familiar with poachers and their efforts to kill and defile rare animals.

— kelli bender, PEOPLE.com, "Pride of Lions Reportedly Attacks, Eats Rhino Poachers Trespassing on South African Reserve," 5 July 2018
On Monday, 20-year-old Ernesto Esquivel-Garcia was arrested for murder, arson and defiling a corpse, according to jail records in San Antonio, Texas.

— matthew martinez, star-telegram, "Missing man's body found charred in Texas apartment — and cryptic images on his car," 21 June 2018
To plow it over is to defile the type of humanistic giving that has become scarce in our increasingly billionaires-take-all way of American life.

— maria panaritis, Philly.com, "The Haas family gave Stoneleigh gardens to the public. Lower Merion Schools should keep their hands off of it. | Maria Panaritis," 2 June 2018
Ghost nets entangling turtles, plastic bags defiling corals, and straws in the guts of fish existed in a different world.

— jenni marsh, CNN, "Our children's plastic lives seen through lunches," 7 June 2018
Besides homicide, he also was found guilty of rape and of defiling corpses.

— chris buckley, New York Times, "‘Vicious’ Killer of 11 Women Gets Death Penalty in China," 30 Mar. 2018
As Charlier and his co-authors wrote in their paper last week, Hitler had demanded in his will that the Soviet forces about to overrun Berlin not be allowed to defile his corpse.

— avi selk, Washington Post, "Scientists say Hitler died in WWII. Tell that to ‘Adolf Schuttelmayor’ and the Nazi moon base.," 20 May 2018
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

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

in the meaning defined above

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.