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 The group is also likely to vote in October on whether to impose financial penalties on some polluting vessels. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 June 2025 The study found many of these areas remain disconnected from national grids and are highly dependent on costly and polluting diesel generators. Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 The Air Quality Index — AQI — measures how clean or polluted the air is, indicating which health effects might be experienced within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025 In South Dakota, a Senate bill also would ban polluting emissions and in Texas, state Representative Wesley Virdell introduced an anti-chemtrail bill. Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for pollute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollute
Verb
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that campylobacter is a type of bacteria that causes diarrheal illness and is usually transmitted through undercooked meat, contaminated food or water, or contact with animals.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • In April, her gym water bottle was allegedly contaminated with cyanide and thallium after her car was broken into, prosecutors said, according to WKOW.
    Samira Asma-Sadeque, People.com, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Prior to foreign hunters visiting Uruguay and providing a financial incentive to keep the birds’ populations healthy, ducks were often poisoned en masse because they were seen as little more than crop raiders.
    Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Has sports gambling poisoned the relationship between athletes and fans?
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • When Maris slammed his 61st home run to surpass Ruth, many Yankee fans, the media and Ford Frick, baseball’s commissioner at the time, said the accomplishment was tainted.
    Gary Stoller, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • In the filing, Taylor argued that a TV episode about the case has the potential to taint the jury pool.
    Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pollute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollute. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on pollute

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