Thesaurus

defile

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of defile

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 of defile

canyon (also cañon), col, couloir, flume, gap, gill [British], gorge, gulch, gulf, kloof [South African], linn [chiefly Scottish], notch, pass, ravine, saddle

Words Related to defile

abyss, chasm, cirque, cleft, crevasse, crevice, cwm [chiefly British], fissure

combe (also coombe) [British], dale, dell, glen, hollow, shut-in, vale, valley

basin, floodplain, kettle

arroyo, barranca (also barranco), coulee, draw, gully (also gulley), gutter, nullah, trench, trough, wadi, wash [West]

defile

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of defile

1 to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable

supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots

Synonyms of defile

befoul, contaminate, foul, poison, pollute, taint

Words Related to defile

begrime, besmirch, blacken, dirty, foul up, grime, mire, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

corrupt, rot, spoil

adulterate, doctor

dilute, water down

Near Antonyms of defile

clarify, clean, cleanse, clear, distill (also distil), purge

disinfect, sanitize, sterilize

Antonyms of defile

decontaminate, purify

2 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 of defile

desecrate, profane, violate

Words Related to defile

deconsecrate, desacralize, desanctify

blaspheme, curse, swear

befoul, contaminate, foul, poison, pollute, soil, sully, taint

affront, defame, insult, offend, outrage

annihilate, crush, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, ravage, raze, ruin, waste, wreck

despoil, loot, pillage, plunder, raid, ransack, rob, sack, spoil, strip

Near Antonyms of defile

bless, consecrate, dedicate, hallow, sanctify

cleanse, purge, purify

Synonym Discussion of defile

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean. contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

- water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

- tainted meat
- a politician's tainted reputation

pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

- the polluted waters of the river

defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

- defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Learn More about defile

See words that rhyme with defile Dictionary: Definition of defile Spanish Central: Translation of defile Nglish: Translation of defile for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of defile for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up defile? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments

WORD OF THE DAY

vitiate

to make faulty or ineffective

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games