DEFILEMENTS Synonyms: 54 Similar and Opposite Words

defilements

noun

plural of defilement

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

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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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for defilements

Noun

But dropping the questions could boost responses without risking privacy violations.

— Bart Jansen, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
All critical violations were corrected, and the restaurant was allowed to reopen the following day.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of violations

Noun

The Niners basically treated their star running back like a precious artifact this offseason, storing him at optimal temperature and humidity, limiting his exposure to light and contaminants.

— Andy Behrens, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Even when testing finds contaminants, manufacturers say marijuana that’s already in dispensaries often remains for sale.

— Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of contaminants

Noun

Idaho sewage treatment plants aren’t supposed to release pollutants like these into the water — but over half of them did last year, according to a recent report from the Idaho Conservation League.

— Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 4 Sep. 2026
Temperatures are at record highs, currents are shifting and stronger storms wash more pollutants into the water, including sewage and fertilizers, which can trigger huge algae blooms.

— Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of pollutants

Noun

In one of the heaviest contaminations of TCE and PCE documented, thousands of soldiers and their families were exposed to the solvents at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune from 1953 to 1987.

— WUFT News, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
And the Food and Drug Administration is also investigating contaminations that may be tied to a different outbreak.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 24 July 2026

Definition of contaminations

Noun

Seawater brings additional problems involving competing chlorine chemistry, catalysts, impurities, and deposits.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi—who own Dasani and Aquafina, respectively—take tap water, treat it (which typically means removing some minerals deemed impurities), bottle it, and sell it at a markup.

— Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of impurities

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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defilement

defilements

defiles

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“Defilements.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defilements. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of defilements

noun

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