Synonyms of pollute

pollute

verb

pə-ˈlüt 

as in to contaminate

to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable

outmoded factories polluting the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

• contaminate
• poison
• taint
• befoul
• infect
• defile
• dirty
• foul
• soil
• dilute
• sully
• stain
• besmirch
• blacken
• muddy
• smudge
• adulterate
• spoil
• rot
• corrupt
• foul up
• mire
• water down
• smirch
• grime
• begrime
• doctor

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purify
• clean
• clarify
• cleanse
• purge
• clear
• distill
• decontaminate
• filter
• sterilize
• disinfect
• sanitize

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

Recent Examples of pollute

The copper-mining industry has so polluted the town that its air stinks and its mountains are covered in black ash. —Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026

Plastic fabric may also pollute the soil with microplastics and hurt marine life through water contamination. —Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 7 Mar. 2026

If our aquifer becomes massively polluted by cows, the clean water our rural communities and springs rely upon would be put at risk. —Harper West, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026

When natural springs stop flowing, are cut off by development or are polluted, manatees do not wait for conditions to improve. —Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026