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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At a civic association meeting Thursday, city code enforcement officers reminded residents that Fort Lauderdale has a complaint system that can suspend a short-term rental after three violations.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
19 June 2026 -
But the lenient touch toward one of the game’s worst violations reflects a problem that’s only continuing to grow in the broader sports world.—
Jemele Hill,
The Atlantic,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Locals often build up some tolerance to these water contaminants, but visitors haven’t, so a glass a resident drinks safely can leave a traveler sick for days.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
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There are biological contaminants, and that’s anything that’s a living organism.—
Kat Tretina,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Her award-winning project, an artificial flower system, aims to guide pollinating insects toward nearby flower-rich areas amid urban air pollutants disrupting floral odors.—
Tianwei Zhang,
Footwear News,
15 June 2026
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Pollutants The southern region is known for its heavy pollen season and other pollutants.—
Kat Tretina,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2026
Noun
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The proprietary filtration system is specifically engineered to remove impurities, chlorine, harmful chemicals and heavy metals from your water.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
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Korean cleansing oils help with this problem by thoroughly washing away impurities without the harsh stripping.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
8 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defilements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilements. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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