polluting

adjective

pol·​lut·​ing pə-ˈlü-tiŋ 

: causing pollution

… a region that has been dependent upon basic industries such as coal mining and metal work—relatively polluting industries.

—Patricia L. Layman

The recycling process itself can be polluting. Recyclers find it difficult to separate recyclable from nonrecyclable plastics, which causes the end product to be useless.

—Sally Hayhow Cullen

Examples of polluting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the review pointed out, policy measures such as taxing sugary products, clear food labeling, restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods to children and shifting subsidies away from the most polluting foods can make a difference. —Royson Valliyil, ABC News, 18 Dec. 2025

Through the car initiative, low-income Californians can trade in older, more polluting vehicles and receive a voucher to help pay for newer, less-polluting hybrid or electric vehicles. —Hannah Ruhoff, Sacbee.com, 17 Dec. 2025

By the beginning of the 21st century, Lion Oil had become a leading producer of low-polluting, low-sulfur fuels. —Arkansas Online, 6 Dec. 2025

All non-essential construction is paused, and the most polluting vehicles are banned from the roads while the measure remains in force. —Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for polluting

• commuting
• computing
• diluting
• disputing
• eluting
• imputing
• recruiting
• refuting
• rerouting
• saluting
• transmuting
• uprooting