defiling 1 of 2

adjective

as in pernicious

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

defiling

2 of 2

verb

present participle of defile
1
as in polluting
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 violating
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defiling
  1. pernicious
  2. polluting
  3. violating
  4. cursed
  5. poisoning
  6. unwholesome
  7. corrupt
  8. debased
Adjective
  • Courtesy of WorldSkills Is one of the world’s most pernicious social stigmas finally lifting?
    — the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Obscured Releasing has acquired North American distribution rights to The Drug in Our Pocket, a documentary by Anne Sundberg about the pernicious effects on young people of constant smartphone use.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of pernicious
Verb
  • This means the development of new clean energy sources will provide greater financial benefits to families rather than polluting, expensive, and outdated sources of energy like oil and gas.
    — Sanya Carley, Time, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Many off-grid communities have long relied on costly, polluting diesel generators.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of polluting
Verb
  • Massie’s Hegseth resolution, among other allegations, lays out charges of violating Congress’ war powers and carrying out extrajudicial killings.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Two officers who conducted the internal investigation into Martin’s use of force sued the city for violating the Whistleblower Act, alleging they were retaliated against for recommending to Fitzgerald that Martin be fired.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of violating
Adjective
  • This remake of the Japanese horror hit Ringu stars Naomi Watts as a Seattle reporter whose 8-year-old son (David Dorfman) watches a cursed videotape that marks him for death in seven days.
    — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Oct. 2026
  • The cursed island town in Widow’s Bay has summoned all kinds of supernatural entities, much to the dismay of its residents.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of cursed
Verb
  • James Folta considers how generative AI is poisoning the literary well for everyone.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The government was the one that was poisoning the industrial alcohol the people were stealing to make bathtub gin.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of poisoning
Adjective
  • Their jail is strange and unwholesome.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Grievous bodily harm, nonconsensual drugging, murder, yes…still, thank god there’s nothing unwholesome here, like say a man in a dress.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of unwholesome
Adjective
  • Many Palestinians view it as corrupt and criticize its security cooperation with Israel.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Journalist Christiane Amanpour, who stepped out for the occasion in a red jacquard pantsuit by Derek Lam, echoed Clooney’s focus on providing protection for those relentlessly working to hold corrupt systems accountable.
    — Christie Grimm, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Adjective
  • The plates feature debased imprints of the same signature shapes, creating a dialogue with the glasses.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • That wasn’t its only subject; comedy and power and misogyny and creativity and intergenerational conflict and work ethic and, especially in its last few seasons, the debased state of the entertainment industry were all richly explored through lines.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026
Definition of debased
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.

Browse Nearby Words

defiles
defiling
definable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defiling. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All