DEFILEMENT Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

defilement

noun

Definition of defilement

as in desecration

an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things for two centuries the Christian monasteries in England suffered defilements at the hands of Viking invaders

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in contamination

something that is or that makes impure souvenir shops, observation towers, and other tacky defilements on Civil War battlefields that should be considered hallowed ground

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of defilement In this way, Lapid keeps the emotional aspect of Y’s self-defilement at the forefront of the drama. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement

Noun

When Debbie, Susan, and Thom come over for a double-date pizza night, only Bret is concerned about the spate of recent home invasions, the missing pets, and the desecration of the griffin mascot.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
He was convicted of offenses including desecration of national symbols, contempt and public disorder, and spent five years in the Guanajay prison near Havana.

— Reuters, NBC news, 19 July 2026

Definition of desecration

Noun

Douglas claims the company failed to use safe food storage, handling and preparation practices, failed to inspect food and kitchen conditions for contamination and failed to eliminate harmful bacteria before serving the meal.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Keep water in shatterproof containers with airtight lids to prevent contamination.

— Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of contamination

Noun

The violations on the report include employees not having a food handler card, as well as no drain plugs being seen when observing the plumbing.

— Rashad Alexander, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026
The states argue that Meta withheld relevant information from users and parents, who might have benefited from knowing the ineffectiveness of the feature and others like it, constituting a violation of consumer protection laws.

— John Ruwitch, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of violation

Noun

Some food dyes made from natural ingredients can contain contaminants and may pose their own health risks, such as diabetes.

— Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
In Keyport, New Jersey, a community's residents gathered to learn more about an investigation into contaminants found at an industrial park and neighboring former landfill and whether the contaminants could be affecting their air and water.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of contaminant

Noun

Facilities would have to be on land zoned for heavy industrial use and could not be located near disadvantaged communities or populations sensitive to pollutants, such as hospitals, schools and nursing homes.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Ancient rock art at Murujuga, or the Burrup Peninsula, in Western Australia, has seen much larger damaged than previously anticipated due to industrial pollutants found in air emissions.

— Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of pollutant

Noun

Democrats avoid division The Democrats’ corruption talk of 2026 checks all of these boxes.

— Robert Boatright, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
The limited testimony that led to the grand jury’s decision not to bring criminal charges reveals a larger culture of secrecy and corruption in Tallahassee, said José Javier Rodríguez, the Democrat running to unseat Uthmeier in November.

— Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of corruption

Noun

To refer to the Manhattanite rock quintet as third best in any context feels like music sacrilege.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Filming a talk show on a moving train brings its own set of audio and visual problems, but making this show any other way would be sacrilege.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of sacrilege

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“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of defilement

noun

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