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

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

Wastewater treatment removes a large share of those pollutants, but not everything disappears. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026

Wastewater treatment removes a large share of pollutants, but not everything disappears. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Using microorganisms to remove environmental pollutants is not a new concept. — Catherine Armbruster, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026

Limits placed on coal- and gas-fired power plants by the Biden administration, as well as emissions of mercury and other air pollutants, will be repealed, an intention the agency first announced more than a year ago. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

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