1
as in contamination
the action or process of making the environment dirty or harmful
The company designed devices to reduce the pollution of the world's oceans.
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2
as in corruption
something that makes (someone) less pure, honest, or moral
They refused to let their children play violent video games, believing that they caused pollution in a developing mind.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pollution
The next time new science reveals that a chemical is much more toxic, or that the amount of pollution released from a factory had been underestimated and would cause legally unacceptable health risks, the agency would not be able to react.
—
Lisa Song, ProPublica, 7 Jan. 2026
However, there are multiple sources of industrial emissions in South Memphis, and pollution cannot be easily traced back to one source.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026
The ambitious goal was to end water pollution entirely and make all of the nation’s waters safe for swimming and fishing within a decade.
—James Salzman, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
Light winds and temperature inversions, when cooler air is trapped near the ground, can allow pollution to build up, sometimes leading to hazy skies.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Lisa Song, ProPublica, 7 Jan. 2026
However, there are multiple sources of industrial emissions in South Memphis, and pollution cannot be easily traced back to one source.
—Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026
The ambitious goal was to end water pollution entirely and make all of the nation’s waters safe for swimming and fishing within a decade.
—James Salzman, The Conversation, 5 Jan. 2026
Light winds and temperature inversions, when cooler air is trapped near the ground, can allow pollution to build up, sometimes leading to hazy skies.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollution
Noun
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Beyond the initial findings, additional testing conducted along the Potomac River shows how far the contamination spread and how dramatically bacteria levels varied depending on location.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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However, its effects are increasingly visible in the form of algal blooms, fish kills and contamination of drinking water supplies.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The protests began in late December amid widespread anger over economic hardship, political repression and corruption, according to reports.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Yoon himself, as a prosecutor, helped bring down former President Park Geun-hye, who was imprisoned for corruption and abuse of power.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Semiconductor manufacturing requires huge amounts of ultra-clean water to rinse residue from silicon chips during the fabrication process, resulting in wastewater that contains pollutants, including heavy metals, which can be toxic to aquatic ecosystems and humans.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
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Now, its ability to do that for many air pollutants is under threat.—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollution. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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