pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt 
plural pollutants
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as waste created by human activity) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
sources of pollutants [=pollution] in the environment
Meanwhile, scientists warned that other air pollutants—especially from automobiles—might also be contributing to health problems, forest damage and decreased crop production. —
National Wildlife
National Wildlife Formaldehyde is an important atmospheric pollutant that can be produced in photochemical smog. —Des W. Connell
Des W. Connell A 165-foot cement tower contains radium-rich blends that have given off radon gas—a pollutant that can cause cancer. —Michael H. Brown
Michael H. Brown Examples of pollutant in a Sentence
filtered the pollutants out of the water
Recent Examples on the Web
Engineers at Rice University have developed a dual-bacterial system that converts chemical signals directly into electrical output, creating a new type of bioelectronic sensor that could detect pollutants, health markers, and antibiotics using simple electrical readouts.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
The suit accuses the company of illegally discharging pollutants into Mission Bay in violation of the federal Clean Water Act and the park’s permit.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
John Walke, who leads the Natural Resources Defense Council’s national clean air advocacy, said Section 111 doesn't regulate as many pollutants as 129.
—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Pollen exposure is exacerbated by persisting air pollution—despite long-term declines in many major pollutants.
—Matt Fuchs, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
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.
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
The suit accuses the company of illegally discharging pollutants into Mission Bay in violation of the federal Clean Water Act and the park’s permit.
—Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
John Walke, who leads the Natural Resources Defense Council’s national clean air advocacy, said Section 111 doesn't regulate as many pollutants as 129.
—ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Pollen exposure is exacerbated by persisting air pollution—despite long-term declines in many major pollutants.
—Matt Fuchs, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
Cite this Entry
“Pollutant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollutant. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
Medical Definition
pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlüt-ᵊnt
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) that makes an environment unsuitable or unsafe for use
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
