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
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The Titanic isn't just a shipwreck — it’s widely regarded as a maritime grave, and some view any disturbance as a form of desecration.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
6 July 2025 -
Nearly two weeks later, Blevins was charged Jan. 3 with second-degree desecration of human remains and third-degree hindering apprehension after a law enforcement investigation, according to officials.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacramento Bee,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Park Street Deli Pork Carnitas Aldi, in coordination with Cargill Meat Solutions Corp, halted sales of Park Street Deli Pork Carnitas (16 oz trays) on April 21 due to possible metal contamination.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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Human evacuation from war zones can open urban habitats to wildlife, while the destruction of green spaces or contamination of soil and water can fragment ecosystems and reduce genetic diversity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 July 2025
Noun
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The list obtained by the Herald/Times states that his uncle, Denis Alcides Solis Morales, has immigration violations and makes no mention of convictions or pending criminal charges.—
Ana Ceballos,
Miami Herald,
13 July 2025
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Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Department of Emergency Management, helped facilitate the tour and told lawmakers that those with yellow wristbands, the lowest level, had committed noncriminal offenses such as traffic violations.—
Kairi Lowery,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 July 2025
Noun
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There are several different contaminants that bath water filters can potentially filter.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
9 July 2025
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Third-party testing confirms that the supplement contains the ingredients listed on the label and is free from harmful contaminants.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Many religious people who are not fluent in Italian who laughed at the meme or even repeated the words felt that they were tricked into blasphemy.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
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In a mix of fascination, irreverence, fandom and possible blasphemy, video compilations of cardinals with Charli XCX soundtracks have popped up online.—
Emma Bubola,
New York Times,
7 May 2025
Noun
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Exposure to wildfire smoke, which contains fine particulate matter and other harmful pollutants, is unhealthy even for short periods of time, according to the air district.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
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Floodwaters can be contaminated with debris, as well as high levels of bacteria, chemicals, waste and other pollutants, which can cause prolonged health risks, the experts said.—
ByMary Kekatos,
ABC News,
11 July 2025
Noun
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The announcement comes nearly two years after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted on all 16 articles of impeachment related to allegations of corruption and abuse of office.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 July 2025
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Ken Paxton, who has served in his current role since 2015, was impeached in 2023 but later acquitted and faced allegations of corruption and taking part in an extramarital affair.—
Julia Manchester,
The Hill,
11 July 2025
Noun
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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
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But replacing barley malt with rice still might strike some beer aficionados as sacrilege.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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