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
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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
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
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However, the Supreme Court in several cases has struck down any improper use or desecration of the flag on the grounds of free speech, according to the Library of Congress’ most frequently asked questions about flag law.—
Darleene Powells,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
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He was charged in Linn County, Kansas with interference with law enforcement, criminal desecration and having a vicious dog at large.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
Noun
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What’s more, handling a mummy exposes it to potential contamination from modern bacteria and fungi, further clouding the picture of its microbial makeup.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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Today, dozens of his devices have been installed in city and suburban schools, as well as in residences, but the city’s lead contamination problem is huge.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Here are the inspection scores and violations for restaurants within the city limits of Plano for May 31st - June 6th, 2026.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 June 2026
Noun
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While popular tampons contain chemical and heavy metal contaminants, menstrual cups and discs are typically made from medical grade silicone.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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Last year, Consumer Reports tested 41 formulas for contaminants such as lead and arsenic, and about half contained potentially harmful levels of at least one.—
Rachel Fobar,
Daily News,
7 June 2026
Noun
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This was a weak case for blasphemy.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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The president later removed the post in the face of outrage and accusations of blasphemy.—
Laura Kelly,
The Hill,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Murray was one of the founding members of People in Need of Environmental Safety (PINES), a local advocacy group, which has pushed NIPSCO to mitigate and properly test for arsenic levels and other pollutants linked to coal ash disposal.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
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Trump has touted coal as clean in the past, but experts say coal emits carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, and several other pollutants.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Plots often involved ecological disaster, war, corruption, corporate exploitation and extraction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
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Allegations of corruption, fraud, insider trading, cronyism, loss of competent intelligence and reckless actions including a new war.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 June 2026
Noun
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But by then, religious and political leaders from around the world condemned the image, some calling it a sacrilege.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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That might sound like sacrilege, because the NFL is beyond criticism for many sports fans, but the draft is the ideal example of what the league has become and the importance of gambling to modern audiences.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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