1
as in corruptions
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 contaminants
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 defilements
Noun
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Homes were evacuated and an unknown number of people were exposed to toxic air contaminants, said Andrew Klooster, Colorado field advocate for the environmental organization Earthworks.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Feb. 2026 -
One filter provides supreme taste and the other eliminates contaminants, all with a lightweight, flexible design.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Idle wells can also release harmful pollutants, yet thousands of idle wells remain unplugged within these health protection zones.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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Of all fossil fuels, coal emits the most carbon dioxide per unit of energy, and burning it releases deadly pollutants into the air.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Emails alleging violations started arriving to City Section commissioner Vicky Lagos before the semifinals.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
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Cavin’s letter then went on to specify the precise regulatory violations to be cited in such a complaint.—
Clark Kauffman,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The mask is also made with complexion-soothing oatmeal to treat redness and irritation, along with kaolin clay to gently, yet deeply penetrate your pores and exfoliate impurities.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
22 Feb. 2026
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In alloys, the impurities act as roadblocks that heat helps the metal overcome.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defilements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilements. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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