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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Winter compost doesn't generate enough heat to remove contaminants.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026 -
Pet dander and pollen are common indoor contaminants, too.—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Currently, sewage and industrial waste drops from culvert pipes onto rocks below, creating splashing that releases airborne pollutants.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Recent studies have suggested that microplastics — most often found in the environment, air, water and food — can carry pollutants into human organs and cause health complications, such as cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular issues and cell damage.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The company conducts extensive background checks on drivers, including criminal history, driving violations and civil suits, Uber’s attorneys said.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
6 Feb. 2026
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In each case, Police Oversight determined through its review that officers had violated department general orders — including excessive force and conduct violations — but APD closed the cases administratively and provided no formal response to objections.—
Austin Sanders,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Issues include the potential for impurities in the products, possible immune reactions and a lack of safety warnings on labels.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
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Existing extraction methods cannot scale quickly enough or reach many lithium-rich brines that contain impurities or low concentrations.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Defilements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilements. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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