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

Formaldehyde is an important atmospheric pollutant that can be produced in photochemical smog.

—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

Synonyms

• contaminant
• contamination

Examples of pollutant in a Sentence

filtered the pollutants out of the water

Recent Examples on the Web

As the team of scientists explained in their recent publication, variations in this index can reveal the influence of environmental stressors, disease, or pollutants. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

The study, which will wrap up next year at the earliest, aims to help researchers find relationships between pollutants and health. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Sep. 2025

Kennedy himself had found his way to anti-vaccine activism through his work as an environmentalist, advocating to keep water clean from mercury and other pollutants. —Clare Malone, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025

The cost of treating drinking water for a growing number of pollutants is a major challenge facing many Californian households today. —Andria Ventura, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pollutant

• disputant
• mutant

Kids 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