pollutant
noun
pol·lut·ant
pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt 
plural pollutants
: something that pollutes
especially
: something (such as anthropogenic waste) 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
Night after night in the dry air of Chile's Atacama Desert, fine dust and pollutants settle on the aluminum coating of the mirrors belonging to the Very Large Telescope, part of the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
This change limited the state's ability to secure federal funds for energy efficiency projects, address emissions of climate-warming air pollutants at a statewide level, or promote cleaner technologies that don't rely on fossil fuels.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Promising results and future plans Early pilot applications of the photocatalytic ceramic foam systems have shown significant success in breaking down pollutants.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
Still, the amount of heavy metals and pollutants in fish really depends on its species and where it was caught or farmed.
—Simon Spichak, Health, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
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Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
This change limited the state's ability to secure federal funds for energy efficiency projects, address emissions of climate-warming air pollutants at a statewide level, or promote cleaner technologies that don't rely on fossil fuels.
—Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025
Promising results and future plans Early pilot applications of the photocatalytic ceramic foam systems have shown significant success in breaking down pollutants.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
Still, the amount of heavy metals and pollutants in fish really depends on its species and where it was caught or farmed.
—Simon Spichak, Health, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
Cite this Entry
“Pollutant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pollutant. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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
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