pollutant

noun

pol·​lut·​ant pə-ˈlü-tᵊnt 

plural pollutants

: something that pollutes

especially : something (such as waste created by human acitivity) 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 of pollutant

• contaminant
• contamination

Examples of pollutant in a Sentence

filtered the pollutants out of the water

Recent Examples on the Web

Atmospheric pollutants poisoned the marine-mammal food chain in Scoresby Sound, from fish to seals to bears to people. —Ben Taub, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

Forecasts indicate that stable, clear-sky conditions could trap pollutants for several days. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025

Research finds that because women have smaller bronchial tubes and lungs than men, inhaling irritants like tobacco smoke and pollutants can be more damaging. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 20 Nov. 2025

Burning coal, oil and natural gas releases tiny particles into the air along with toxic gases; these pollutants can make people sick. —Jay Gulledge, The Conversation, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1892, 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