1
as in polluted
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violated
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
as in contaminated
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiled
Verb
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Months later, the Department of Justice concluded that five Texas juvenile detention centers violated children's constitutional and civil rights.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024 -
The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the commission, by approving the plans, has violated their fundamental rights.—
Amy Green,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Since 1995, $2.9 billion in federal funds have produced public and private investments totaling $42 billion for cleaning and redeveloping contaminated sites, and created more than 200,000 jobs.—
Janet McCabe,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
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Beyond creating toxins that can directly kill animals, or harm humans that eat contaminated animals, people may suffer skin irritation and respiratory problems from contact with some of these microorganisms.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
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That number includes children, who represent 16 percent of those poisoned and 27 percent of all fatalities.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
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And guess what, hospitals are seeing cases of vitamin A toxicity — of kids poisoned by being fed too many vitamins instead of being vaccinated.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Quality concerns have dogged the industry for years: In 2023, four people died after using tainted eye drops made in India, and others had to have their eyeballs surgically removed.—
Katherine Dailey,
ProPublica,
18 June 2025
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The tainted Tylenol bottles had been sold at various drugstores across the Chicago area.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Water was often impure, too, especially with the war going on.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2025
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This anti-establishment mindset translates to denim with dirty shades of indigo, impure neutrals and green casts, accented with pops of fiery red and pale yellow.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Did a packing cube come into contact with unclean surfaces, such as dirty hotel room floors or shared bathrooms?—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
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But so long as the cultural narrative persists around vaginas being unclean or smelly, companies will continue to create items deemed to cleanse them.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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The room was filthy, prescription bottles around the room, one bed with no sheets.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
27 June 2025
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Photograph: Chris Null As anyone who’s ever stuck a cotton swab in there knows, your ear canal is a filthy, disgusting place.—
Christopher Null,
Wired News,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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In its time open, fueled by fans of its blackened mahi and buttery lobster rolls, owner Mike Smith has expanded his footprint, moving into a larger stall in the popular food hall — which has allowed for a menu expansion, as well.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Dec. 2022
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There are no glamorous furnishings — just a French window, its blackened panes suggesting the dark of night.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Oct. 2022
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Cite this Entry
“Defiled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiled. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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