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
The most determined opposition to Trump’s defilement of the Kennedy Center has come from Representative Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who is an ex-officio board member of the complex.
—
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2026
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilement
Noun
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Brothers Keith and Terrence Nicks were found guilty by separate juries of desecration of human remains, removal of human remains and removal of more than 10 gravestones and markers.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Later that day, her 25-year-old son, Khadir Jones, was arrested and charged with desecration of human remains, My Central Jersey reported.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The investigation is continuing to determine the source of contamination and whether additional products are linked to illnesses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Once opened, air exposure and cross-contamination from utensils can introduce moisture and bacteria, shortening their shelf life.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Maricopa County health inspectors cited nine metro Phoenix gas stations and markets for several priority food safety violations during the week of March 2.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
19 Mar. 2026
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By Rachel Smith Environmental groups said the state of Colorado is not doing enough to stop ongoing pollution violations from the Suncor refinery.—
Rachel Smith,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At the compressor stations, the natural gas produced from wells is processed so that water and other contaminants are removed.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
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Scientists have also raised concerns about the growing presence in the environment of microplastics that can enter the body carrying bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants that may contribute to cancer risk.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Another young man, Mashal Khan, a university student and poet, was lynched by a mob of fellow students who accused him of blasphemy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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As depicted in the movie, Lee was arrested multiple times for blasphemy and disturbing the peace.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Three-quarters of Americans want the government to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant.—
Fran Silverman,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2026
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These long cylinders of glacial ice packed with layers of dust, pollutants, and smoke are frozen time capsules that scientists can use to recreate past environmental conditions.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Tisza is not particularly progressive, and its platform is generally considered center-right, eschewing cultural issues for a campaign laser-targeted on corruption in government.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
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Polls give Magyar's Tisza party a double-digit lead with Hungarians weary of years of corruption accusations, clashes with the EU and economic stagnation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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At issue was Sheikh Dibo’s description of the prayer that locals tend to say when visiting a grave; to the ISIS member, such prayers were sacrilege.—
Anand Gopal,
New Yorker,
28 Feb. 2026
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That’s the ultimate Hollywood sacrilege.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defilement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilement. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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