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
More rural parts of the country can also see overflows from factory farms, leading to large amounts of animal waste and other pollutants ending up in ponds, lakes and rivers.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The pollutants that were pumped into the river, unregulated for decades, pose the biggest threat to its ecosystem.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
More specifically, Bouse residents were wary of drinking arsenic, a common pollutant in Arizona’s aquifers.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Environmental scientists could use it to detect pollutants or hazardous compounds at trace levels with unprecedented reliability.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollutant
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Christopher Cann, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The pollutants that were pumped into the river, unregulated for decades, pose the biggest threat to its ecosystem.
—Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
More specifically, Bouse residents were wary of drinking arsenic, a common pollutant in Arizona’s aquifers.
—Austin Corona, AZCentral.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Environmental scientists could use it to detect pollutants or hazardous compounds at trace levels with unprecedented reliability.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 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 9 Sep. 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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