pollute

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pollute contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pollute are contaminate, defile, and taint. While all these words mean "to make impure or unclean," pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

When can contaminate be used instead of pollute?

The words contaminate and pollute can be used in similar contexts, but contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

When is defile a more appropriate choice than pollute?

The words defile and pollute are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

When is it sensible to use taint instead of pollute?

The synonyms taint and pollute are sometimes interchangeable, but taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat
a politician's tainted reputation

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 pollute Plaintiffs also proved that runoff and wastewater discharge from the camp risks polluting the water supply in the Miccosukee Reserved Area—where eighty percent of Tribe members reside—just a few miles downstream from the TNT site, and beyond. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Hurricanes are rapidly intensifying more frequently as the oceans and atmosphere warm in a world polluted by fossil fuels. Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025 Homeless tents in green spaces and parks degrade and pollute the aesthetic, cultural and historical environment. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2025 These small, toxic waste items pollute city streets, beaches and waterways. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pollute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollute
Verb
  • Products contaminated with methanol (also called wood alcohol) are very dangerous when applied to the skin or consumed.
    Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Middlefield Original Cheese Co-op is recalling specific cheese products due to concerns that they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In pre-trial evidence released last month, Erin's ex-husband Simon also accused Erin of attempting to fatally poison him on multiple occasions, per the BBC.
    Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The patients allegedly poisoned were between the ages of 4 and 89, according to Le Monde.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Buggs’ public defender also suggested that Alameda County prosecutors’ case was tainted by that bias.
    Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
  • That Anniston’s offer is tainted is a given; that Charles is making a deal with a very bad man is obvious.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pollute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollute. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pollute

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