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defiles 1 of 2

noun

plural of defile
as in ravines
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage the cattle, once they were cornered in the defile, were quickly rounded up

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defiles

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of defile
1
as in pollutes
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable supplies of meat that had been defiled by maggots

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2
as in violates
to treat (a sacred place or object) shamefully or with great disrespect art conservators were careful not to do anything that might defile the holy relic

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of defiles
Verb
Moral and intellectual descent is inherent in a political project that sets out to undermine liberal democracy, reject the inclusive egalitarianism of modern America, find enemies to demonize, and heroize a leader who defiles common decency. — George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiles
  1. ravines
  2. pollutes
  3. violates
  4. canyons
  5. gorges
  6. valleys
Noun
  • Many more were imperiled by muddy water racing through the narrow ravines, sparking frantic rescue missions for dozens.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Lake Overstreet has about five miles of multi-use trails through live oaks (a northern Florida staple), hills and ravines surrounding a secluded 144-acre lake.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of ravines
Verb
  • The usual analogy is that generative AI and LLMs are akin to a factory that pollutes local waters.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Chenab River runs red with blood while poison pollutes the five rivers of Punjab and spreads through the fertile soil.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of pollutes
Verb
  • Conservative legal organization America First Legal filed the complaint on Shirley’s behalf, seeking relief on claims that the bill violates Shirley’s right to free speech under the First Amendment.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The suit joins others from various states arguing that this use of the SAVE program violates both acts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of violates
Noun
  • After passing through Denver, expect to ascend the Rockies, glide over Utah’s salt flats, past red rock canyons, and along the Sierra Nevadas.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The monsoon season can be a particularly dangerous time in mountain canyons in Utah and the Southwest.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of canyons
Noun
  • Natural Beauty Beauty is born from nature in Greece due to an incredibly diverse landscape replete with everything from mountains, lakes, forests, and caves to craters, coasts, gorges, and volcanoes.
    — Jennifer Tzeses, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Picture show The bridge-building nonprofit Fika is connecting communities in Rwanda separated by rivers and gorges.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of gorges
Noun
  • It’s set on a remote farm nestled high in the Rocky Mountains in the early 1950s, and the images — of jutting peaks and plunging valleys, of endless stretches of pine, of the craggy frosted grandeur of it all — are vivid enough to carry you away.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Nine days after flash flooding washed away valleys and buried entire villages, rescue workers in Nepal had started to shift their operations from finding survivors to recovering bodies.
    — Kosh Raj Koirala, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of valleys

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defilements
defiles
defiling
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Cite this Entry

“Defiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiles. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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