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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defiles
George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
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
Noun
-
So where fiber connections may be expensive to make (think rivers and ravines, for instance), or where permitting is very challenging, FSO could provide just the solution.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
22 Dec. 2025
-
However, the weeks surrounding them can provide spectacular views of their own, as the line separating night from day, known as the terminator, sweeps across its surface, throwing ancient craters, ravines and mountain ranges into relief.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
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For example, forum participants said a person could sue a company or entity that pollutes a river because the river has the right to be pollution-free.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Because of this, Medeiros said, the question for many businesses becomes less about getting ICE to leave their property and more about what to do if ICE violates consent and other legal requirements.—
Wyatte Grantham-Philips,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Democratic senators from Oregon, New Mexico and Massachusetts asked Apple and Google to remove X from their app stores in a letter this month, saying that the mass generation of non-consensual sexualized images violates the stores’ distribution terms.—
Lola Murti,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Yet, these sleek, wild, predator cats roam the foothills and mountains from Ventura to San Diego, slipping in and out of millions of backyards and dozens of local canyons mostly unseen, except for those fuzzy images captured by trail cameras and home surveillance videos.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Picture sipping coffee as the sun rises over the Rockies, or gliding past red rock canyons en route to Glacier National Park, all from the comfort of a panoramic observation car.—
Paris Wilson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Then there’s the ice that’s been frozen in its tracks while cascading down cliffs and gorges.—
Brian Higgins,
Outside,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Turn off your notifications and explore the string of eight state parks in the area, marveling at massive waterfalls, river gorges, and sweeping Superior views.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Plus, the patterns originate in different valleys and regions, getting passed down and adapted over time.—
Blair Braverman,
Outside,
26 Jan. 2026
-
While the latest census from 2021 estimates nearly double that number now soar through the valleys, these tropical birds are still critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).—
Brianna Randall,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defiles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiles. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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