1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
-
Past cases involving flag burning Flag desecration and burning have long been a point of discussion among U.S. lawmakers.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
21 June 2025 -
Encampments, flag desecration, face coverings, and masks intended to conceal identity are prohibited.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 July 2025
Noun
-
The ground and area around where the nest had been did not have any further contamination.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Banks involved in financial loans tied to the properties also would want any contamination removed to avoid liability, Ross said.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But the chase is likely a violation of OPD’s policy on pursuits, which seeks to limit police chases to avoid danger to the public.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The American Medical Association considers direct medical participation in executions a violation of health care ethics, further complicating procedures involving inmates with complex health considerations like Black.—
Tobias Meyjes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Sixteen baby food companies, including Earth’s Best, Plum Organics, and Once Upon a Farm, have tested their products for contaminants (arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) and provide simple access to the test results.—
Beth Ann Mayer,
Parents,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Hundreds of the complaints describe medications with possible contaminants, drugs that didn’t dissolve properly and other quality and safety concerns.—
Megan Rose,
ProPublica,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In 2011, as governor of Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province, he was assassinated by his own bodyguard for defending a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.—
Aatish Taseer,
Time,
15 July 2025
-
Earlier, during his days with Monty Python, Gilliam co-wrote biblical black comedy The Life of Brian, whose themes of religious satire drew accusations of blasphemy and protests.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
When air is stagnant, pollutants don't get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
-
In a 2007 ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the agency has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases as air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
The country is facing intense international criticism, domestic discontent, and internal political rifts: The government voted Monday to dismiss the attorney general, a prominent Netanyahu critic who is prosecuting his ongoing corruption case.—
J.D. Capelouto,
semafor.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Before this happened, a majority of Israelis would have voted an unpopular Netanyahu out of office over the corruption charges against him.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
And still, Wankdorf Stadium heaved with Portuguese song, as if any other noise outside of a goal celebration might border on sacrilege.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
4 July 2025
-
But replacing barley malt with rice still might strike some beer aficionados as sacrilege.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 July 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share