defilement

noun

Definition of defilementnext
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

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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

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
  1. desecration
  2. contamination
  3. violation
  4. contaminant
  5. blasphemy
  6. pollutant
  7. corruption
  8. sacrilege
Noun
  • 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
  • With the ruin of Troy also came the desecration of Zeus’ law, which proved dangerous to the returning Ithacans.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Definition of desecration
Noun
  • Some said our sampling would likely underestimate contamination on a property.
    — Cassandra Garibay, ProPublica, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Epidemiologists have to rely on patient interviews to determine a source of the contamination.
    — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of contamination
Noun
  • The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of state and local laws protecting freelance workers, as well as California’s Unfair Competition Law.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Grisham is currently suing Miller over violations of the terms of a confidential settlement related to his defamation case against her.
    — Rachel Scott, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • This dual-sided design enables the membrane to handle different contaminants while supporting more efficient desalination and oil separation.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Goals versus limits Federal drinking water standards involve two numbers for each contaminant.
    — Christine Kirchhoff, The Conversation, 30 July 2026
Definition of contaminant
Noun
  • If the state decides to officially charge him with blasphemy, Pragiwaksono could go to trial.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • Astorino, the textbook author, went so far as to decry the showcase as something close to blasphemy.
    — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026
Definition of blasphemy
Noun
  • Besides clearing pollutants from the air, aloe vera plants can also soothe burns and sunburn thanks to thick sap in their spiky leaves.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Officials step up monitoring for ammonia and other pollutants after levels far above state health benchmarks, as Lineage insists its refrigeration system is intact while rushing an expensive, high-speed cleanup.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of pollutant
Noun
  • That committee adjourned without action, but Madigan was later convicted on corruption charges and is serving a 7 1/2-year federal prison sentence.
    — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, which won Cannes’ runner-up prize, the Grand Prix, explores personal, political and patriarchal corruption in contemporary Russia.
    — Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of corruption
Noun
  • That’s sacrilege on par with an Ohioan disowning football or a Texan recoiling at the smell of brisket, a Kentuckian thumbing his nose at college basketball.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 July 2026
  • Sure, Texans are very hospitable, but playing anything other than country music over the speakers is normally considered sacrilege in that establishment.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of sacrilege

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defilement
defilements
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Cite this Entry

“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of defilement for Spanish Speakers

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