as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to violate
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect
art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of defile
Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022
Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls.
—Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020
Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The 37-year-old former Fairfax County police recruit has since been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and physically defiling a dead body.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defile
Noun
Almost 200 species of birds have been seen in high-walled Ramsey Canyon, a lush defile in the Huachuca Mountains south of Sierra Vista that's managed by the Nature Conservancy.
—Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2022
Between Evergreen and Conifer Maxwell Creek slides north through a trailside defile, trembles through boulders in watery segments, and slips over black granite blocks in shimmery sheets at Maxwell Falls.
—Danika Worthington, The Know, 19 June 2020
Verb
Naresh Bhatt was arrested in August on a charge of concealing a dead body and now faces charges of murder and physically defiling a dead body after police found evidence in their Manassas Park home that her body was dismembered.
—Jonathan Granoff, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The 37-year-old former Fairfax County police recruit has since been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and physically defiling a dead body.
—Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 4 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for defile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defile
Noun
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Brentwood’s narrow canyons resist oversized development, and its village-scale retail discourages party-bus invasions.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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While the park boasts colorful canyons, dramatic cliffs, and ancient petroglyphs, similar to Zion, RVshare notes that Capitol Reef sees around 1.3 million fewer visitors than its southwestern neighbor each year.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Even so, a 2022 study from the Royal Astronomical Society showed that artificial light was polluting the skies over most observatories, while suggesting that immediate action would be needed to safeguard these scientific bastions.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Just as pollution from early factories unexpectedly damaged the environment, AI systems risk polluting the digital environment by flooding the Internet with synthetic content.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Immigrant rights advocates argued the administration violated a court order by flying four Venezuelans from Guantanamo to El Salvador.—
Nate Raymond,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
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Under these laws, city officials who violate them do not face consequences.—
Jennifer J. Lee,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Context The victims were in a bus, traveling from Shiv Khori temple to Katra, that veered off the road and plunged into a deep gorge after gunmen opened fire on the vehicle.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
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Explore Shepherdstown Blowing Rock, North Carolina Population: 1,397 For panoramic views of dense forests, snowy peaks, and a vast gorge, Blowing Rock is your spot.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Patterson has repeatedly denied deliberately poisoning her guests.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
2 May 2025
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But when threatening messages start popping up on Violet’s phone, an unseen enemy, lurking nearby, pushes her to poison her date.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The audit also noted a Jewish cemetery in Waterbury that was vandalized with more than 12 gravestones desecrated.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
22 Apr. 2025
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Fernandez was charged with first-degree murder, desecrating human remains and multiple weapons crimes.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
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With just the right breeze and a little luck, a few of those tiny seeds will land in wet soil on the edge of a ravine and become the next generation.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2025
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Bryce Canyon is a colorful maze of spires, cliffs and ravines eroded in soft rock and soil at the edge of a plateau.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 May 2025
Noun
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States in the Mid-Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys, stretching all the way into parts of Pennsylvania and western New York, could see thunderstorms, damaging winds, hail and a possible isolated tornado, the weather service said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defile. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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