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
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2024
Amy Baker Harrison was indicted by a Stafford County grand jury on Monday for the first-degree murder of Jacqueline Lard, as well as abduction with the intent to defile, aggravated malicious wounding and breaking and entering with the intent to commit murder, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
What’s curious, then, is not Trump’s eagerness to degrade us, but his uncontrollable urge to defile himself and his office.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Noun
One defiles realism, and the other refuses to let it out of its grip.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 July 2024
Amy Baker Harrison was indicted by a Stafford County grand jury on Monday for the first-degree murder of Jacqueline Lard, as well as abduction with the intent to defile, aggravated malicious wounding and breaking and entering with the intent to commit murder, according to the sheriff’s office.
—Amanda Jackson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
Moral and intellectual descent is inherent in a political project that sets out to undermine liberal democracy, reject the inclusive egalitarianism of modern America, find enemies to demonize, and heroize a leader who defiles common decency.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
What’s curious, then, is not Trump’s eagerness to degrade us, but his uncontrollable urge to defile himself and his office.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for defile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defile
Noun
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Continue reading … TRAGEDY STRIKES – Helicopter crash kills Arizona man and 3 nieces on wedding day after canyon collision.—
,
FOXNews.com,
5 Jan. 2026
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Two men convicted of the 2021 fatal shooting of a man whose body was found near a City Heights canyon trail were sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Despite the cesspits of conspiracy-think that pollute contemporary politics, the specific paranoia of Letts’s characters — bugs under the skin, brainwashing, nefarious doctors in government labs — feels less blazingly relevant than comparatively quaint.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
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Chemical rockets put out huge plumes of polluting exhaust, and for a massive machine like the SpaceX Starship, with 33 first-stage engines, that can add up—especially with hundreds of launches planned.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In October 2025, Beckerink pleaded no contest to domestic violence charges in connection to two incidents at Tracey's home in New Buffalo, Michigan, as well as one count of contempt for violating his bond, and was sentenced to 93 days in jail.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The lawsuit argues the freeze violated federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional limits on executive power and how Congress appropriates funds.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Overnight at the Turkey Run State Park Inn, which has both a lodge and cabins set in 2,382 acres of woods and sandstone gorges.—
Ashlyn Ware,
Midwest Living,
7 Jan. 2026
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While guarding this mysterious gorge, these good-looking sharpshooters inevitably fall in love and join forces to contain the marauding creatures.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
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According to other accounts, some white residents believed Makandal and his allies were behind a plot to poison the water supply in all the houses in the city of Le Cap.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
-
In a recent study, however, researchers at Yale found that interoception helped mice avoid poisoning themselves.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Officials determined that a total of 26 underground vaults and mausoleums were broken into or desecrated from November 2025 until the day Gerlach was caught.—
Alexandra Simon,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Nothing beats cuteness except watching violence be enacted upon the cuteness; like an aural Happy Tree Friends, Skulls tosses pom-poms of fuzz into the sky then desecrates them.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
17 Dec. 2025
Noun
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If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car, covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
5 Jan. 2026
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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,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Cumberland Gap Where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia meet, Cumberland Gap sits in a valley that looks up at the famous gap in the Cumberland Mountain range from which the town gets its name.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
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Narrow, winding streets and passageways lead up to the centuries-old Eglise Saint-Sauveur for sweeping views of the rugged valley.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defile. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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