as in poisons
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
outmoded factories polluting the air
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Recent Examples of pollutes
But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.
—
Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Debris pollutes waterways, cooking fires may spread, and the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly documented how homeless residents are more likely to be victims of crime.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Most space debris pollutes low-Earth orbit.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
While much of the effort is focused on the waterline, volunteers embark on missions inland to get the trash picked up ahead of the wet winter season and it is washed down to the ocean and pollutes the waters.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Cotton farming can involve massive quantities of pesticides, and yarn dyeing pollutes waterways with toxic chemicals.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
Farmers overapplying them in their fields can cause nitrogen-laden runoff that pollutes water and the air.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Moreover, the use of harsh chemicals pollutes water and soil during lithium extraction.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2025
Excessive fertilizer pollutes both soil and water systems.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2025
Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Debris pollutes waterways, cooking fires may spread, and the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly documented how homeless residents are more likely to be victims of crime.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
Most space debris pollutes low-Earth orbit.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 22 Sep. 2025
While much of the effort is focused on the waterline, volunteers embark on missions inland to get the trash picked up ahead of the wet winter season and it is washed down to the ocean and pollutes the waters.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Cotton farming can involve massive quantities of pesticides, and yarn dyeing pollutes waterways with toxic chemicals.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
Farmers overapplying them in their fields can cause nitrogen-laden runoff that pollutes water and the air.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
Moreover, the use of harsh chemicals pollutes water and soil during lithium extraction.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2025
Excessive fertilizer pollutes both soil and water systems.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollutes
Verb
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These cards may contain batteries or nonrecyclable material that contaminates other paper.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
31 Dec. 2025
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Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Her son, Jett James East, had respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a highly contagious virus that infects the lungs and breathing passages.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Contrary to its original name, the virus mostly infects rodents and occasionally crossed over into humans.—
Patrick Jackson,
The Conversation,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Moral and intellectual descent is inherent in a political project that sets out to undermine liberal democracy, reject the inclusive egalitarianism of modern America, find enemies to demonize, and heroize a leader who defiles common decency.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pollutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollutes. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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