as in contaminated
containing foreign or lower-grade substances
called in to clean up the polluted stream
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in poisoned
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
outmoded factories polluting the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of polluted
Michael Loria, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Discharge of polluted water and discarded electronic components into rivers, groundwater supplies, landfills, or unregulated recycling facilities results in the hazardous materials gradually seeping into surrounding soil and water systems.
—Michaela Rychetska, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
Globally, the poorest half of the population produces just 10% of carbon emissions yet suffers the brunt of drought, flooding, and polluted air.
—Henrietta Moore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
The Little Calumet, just blocks from where Steagall used to live, had shores like quicksand from all the toxic sludge and the Grand Calumet River was one of the most polluted bodies of water emptying into Lake Michigan.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Sep. 2025
Not abstract, delayed or generalized data, but precise, real-time and location-specific insights delivered from the world’s most remote forests, deepest watersheds and most polluted urban corridors.
—Michael De Nil, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Whilst the moon might not be that hard to see in a light-polluted area, capturing it on a smart telescope is still impressive.
—Harry Bennett, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
If the wind shifts from polluted areas nearby, the unhealthy air could quickly blow into your area.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
The first Cincinnati kiosk will open at Salway Park on the Mill Creek, a waterway once heavily polluted but now a recreation corridor.
—Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2025
Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
The area is significantly polluted with DDT, a chemical used as an insecticide that was banned in 1972.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Other public speakers, like Tabitha Fader, said the reroute would cause irreparable harm if wetlands and rivers were polluted during pipeline construction or in the event of a spill.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Ship Canal — located in East Chicago — were polluted from more than a century of industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, and caused multiple grassroots organizations to advocate for cleanup measures along the river.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
My experience of the internet, when constrained to apps, has become further polluted by an inability to turn off ads.
—Lucy Handley, Big Think, 25 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
Our species has polluted the planet, so that grey clouds of smoke invade many urban landscapes.
—Bandamlak Y. Jemberie, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Flaring looked unsightly, polluted the air and wasted a natural resource that could be sold.
—Jacob Orledge, ProPublica, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The river will still become polluted after heavy rainfalls due to runoff from the streets and flushing of city sewage systems.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 18 Sep. 2025
Discharge of polluted water and discarded electronic components into rivers, groundwater supplies, landfills, or unregulated recycling facilities results in the hazardous materials gradually seeping into surrounding soil and water systems.
—Michaela Rychetska, JSTOR Daily, 18 Sep. 2025
Globally, the poorest half of the population produces just 10% of carbon emissions yet suffers the brunt of drought, flooding, and polluted air.
—Henrietta Moore, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
The Little Calumet, just blocks from where Steagall used to live, had shores like quicksand from all the toxic sludge and the Grand Calumet River was one of the most polluted bodies of water emptying into Lake Michigan.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 15 Sep. 2025
Not abstract, delayed or generalized data, but precise, real-time and location-specific insights delivered from the world’s most remote forests, deepest watersheds and most polluted urban corridors.
—Michael De Nil, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Whilst the moon might not be that hard to see in a light-polluted area, capturing it on a smart telescope is still impressive.
—Harry Bennett, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
If the wind shifts from polluted areas nearby, the unhealthy air could quickly blow into your area.
—Matt Fuchs, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
The first Cincinnati kiosk will open at Salway Park on the Mill Creek, a waterway once heavily polluted but now a recreation corridor.
—Scott Wartman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
However, by the late 1920s, the river was once again polluted by industrial and human runoff and was deemed unsafe for swimming.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
The area is significantly polluted with DDT, a chemical used as an insecticide that was banned in 1972.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
Other public speakers, like Tabitha Fader, said the reroute would cause irreparable harm if wetlands and rivers were polluted during pipeline construction or in the event of a spill.
—Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
The Grand Calumet River and Indiana Harbor Ship Canal — located in East Chicago — were polluted from more than a century of industrial and municipal wastewater discharges, and caused multiple grassroots organizations to advocate for cleanup measures along the river.
—Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
My experience of the internet, when constrained to apps, has become further polluted by an inability to turn off ads.
—Lucy Handley, Big Think, 25 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
Our species has polluted the planet, so that grey clouds of smoke invade many urban landscapes.
—Bandamlak Y. Jemberie, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025
Flaring looked unsightly, polluted the air and wasted a natural resource that could be sold.
—Jacob Orledge, ProPublica, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polluted
Adjective
-
What stores carried the possibly contaminated shrimp?—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Both options are naturally gluten-free, but oats are more likely to be cross-contaminated with gluten.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Silvia faces the trauma of having been poisoned and closely manipulated, while Isabela deals with the aftermath of the accident and the blackmail, struggling with her guilt and the ongoing challenges of her addiction, though she is never taken into custody.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
-
After slipping downstairs and getting poisoned, among other humiliating acts, Carr ends up in a body cast and in a puddle of his own waste with his arm immobilized in a persistent sieg heil.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
King Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, has been tainted by his own friendship with Epstein.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Just as social media makes legacy media apparatus look sluggish by comparison, prediction markets expose traditional polls and surveys for being tainted by bias (see the 2016 Clinton fiasco).—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Spray the door generously with cleaner or use a microfiber cloth to wet the door with the diluted vinegar mixture.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Too many companies try to achieve a laundry list of objectives, resulting in a diluted and less-effective program.—
Erika Andersson,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For example, Wilson’s team is exploring whether dilute acids speed up weathering.—
Robert F. Service,
Science | AAAS,
3 Sep. 2020
-
The company reported a net loss during the first quarter of $3.9 million, or 11 cents diluted loss per share, compared to a net income of $4.3 million, or 12 cents dilute earnings per share over the same period last year.—
Paul Takahashi,
Houston Chronicle,
5 June 2018
Adjective
-
The company in 2020 pleaded guilty to distributing adulterated ice-cream products and agreed to pay a fine over the outbreak.—
Dylan Tokar,
WSJ,
2 Feb. 2023
-
And while most of those overdoses involved the illicit synthetic opioid fentanyl, experts say that an adulterated and contaminated drug supply is also leading to deaths.—
Nadia Kounang,
CNN,
17 Mar. 2022
Adjective
-
Martinez left Friday night’s game with mixed emotions.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
-
The project will create a new urban neighborhood with mixed-use development, including residential and commercial spaces.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
France has Europe’s largest population of Muslims, over 6 million, for whom pigs are considered impure.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Even the most natural parts of many women’s lives — such as menstruation, clothing or even breastfeeding — can be framed as being impure or as moral transgressions.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Polluted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polluted. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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