polluted 1 of 2

polluted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of pollute

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 polluted
Adjective
If one neighborhood is highly polluted but nearby communities aren’t, county-level averages would show an overall low level of pollution – even though the more detailed information would reveal a major problem to be addressed in one particular area. Mark Axelrod, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 Mayflies lay up to 10,000 eggs in the water, and their nymphs can't survive in water that is polluted. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 Her inner light reminds him of the stars he’s seen with his own eyes, above the polluted atmosphere of Earth. Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026 Some went back into the river downstream, where environmental regulators have found waterways warmed and polluted. Emily Cureton Cook, ProPublica, 26 June 2026 Even then, after days of heavy rain, polluted lagoon water lapped at the edges of the city. Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 24 June 2026 There, Marlon must cross the polluted waters of the festering Guanabara Bay in search of a former commander turned messianic cult leader to stop the spread of their paramilitary group. Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 16 June 2026 Although everyone breathes polluted air, children, elderly, and historically disadvantaged communities are hurt the most. Chris Hartmann, New York Daily News, 16 June 2026 Manatee County government agreed to help too, establishing a well to dispose of polluted water from the site. Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
Verb
The same river that was savagely polluted by the mining industry, devastating the ancestral oasis of Quillagua. Cristina Dorador, The Dial, 14 July 2026 But stars aren’t the only things that fail to show up when the sky is polluted with light; fireflies, those flashing, nostalgic symbols of summer, often skip the party too. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026 Midland, Texas, is still cleaning up groundwater polluted by a leaking injection well more than two decades ago. Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 30 June 2026 As a result, many people living near Mavecure have gotten out of gold mining, which polluted the jungle rivers with mercury and sediment, to work as tour guides, operate restaurants and hostels, or sell arts and crafts. John Otis, NPR, 30 May 2026 At the latter, four local farmers show The Athletic water courses polluted with crude oil. Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 27 May 2026 Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party also took the discourse offline this week, dressing up as the insect to clean up India’s notoriously polluted Yamuna River in Delhi, according to news reports. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 22 May 2026 Testing by the University of Georgia that alerted the industry and state in 2008, when Bost was in her teens, showed the local Conasauga River that supplies the region’s drinking water was polluted. Dylan Jackson, ABC News, 6 May 2026 That is exactly what this film cleverly does — pinpoints the insidious nature of far-right movements and the creeping rhetoric that has polluted our society. Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polluted
Adjective
  • Taco Bell has been sued at least three times in federal court this week, with plaintiffs alleging negligence, breach of warranty and violations of deceptive trade practices law for allegedly selling contaminated lettuce.
    Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • In many cases, people contract the disease by inhaling tiny droplets of contaminated water.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • But is there any guarantee that Francesco was not also poisoned?
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • Michael seemed to be saying that by admitting her dishonesty, Ethel would have ruined their childhood and poisoned any prospect of a future relationship with her.
    Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026
Adjective
  • To help mitigate both pests and diseases, isolate the plant and treat infestations with safe, diluted systemic insecticides, such as organic neem oil.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 July 2026
  • If your oregano, mint, or other herbs have begun to flower, give them a hard haircut and a little diluted fertilizer.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The issue is a sensitive one for Labour, which was found to be tainted with antisemitism before Starmer took over, and also relies on the support of a large Muslim population.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Peterson denied new trial In December, Judge Massullo denied a habeas petition filed by Scott in October, which alleged a juror had tainted the pool by lying about her history of domestic abuse during selection.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Adjective
  • Clean and disinfect your pruning shears between working on each plant by dipping them into a dilute 10% solution of chlorine bleach water or rubbing alcohol.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
  • But dwarf galaxies are smaller and colder, with more dilute and slower-moving matter.
    Paul M. Sutter, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • Navarro, who pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy in August, was sentenced Friday in Manhattan by federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil for being part of a conspiracy to distribute and administer adulterated and misbranded drugs for racehorses.
    Stephen Edelson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Dec. 2021
Adjective
  • As the days went on, Mainoo cut a forlorn figure walking through various mixed zones, often being among the first to board the team bus.
    Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Very early in the morning, however, the moon will make a series of aspects — with Mars, Saturn and Mercury retrograde — that could potentially trigger everything from feelings of restlessness to emotional reactions due to mixed signals.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026
Adjective
  • Wise’s wistful songwriting is retained, but completely missing is his intentionally impure palette.
    Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Kanto practitioners believe that women cannot participate because, according to Japan's Shinto religion, women's blood from menstruation and childbirth is considered impure for the purpose of religious rituals.
    Anthony Kuhn, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Polluted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polluted. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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