as in poisons
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
outmoded factories polluting the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 pollutes
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
Processing rare earths often involves the use of solvents, which can produce toxic waste that pollutes the soil, water, and atmosphere.
—Jason Neely and Eric Onstad, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Fishing pollutes and depletes marine ecosystems while pollution from factory farms contaminates waterways.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2025
Aside from the methane smell that permeates the area around the landfill and the dust that pollutes our air, the decaying trash is most certainly leaching into the Biscayne Aquifer, the source of our drinking water.
—Jacqueline Railey, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said Friday evening that evacuation orders for as many as 1,500 people were lifted, but residents were told to stay indoors in case the fire pollutes the air with toxic gases.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
The excess nitrogen that is not utilized by growing plants pollutes land, water, and air, and exacerbates climate change.
—Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
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
Processing rare earths often involves the use of solvents, which can produce toxic waste that pollutes the soil, water, and atmosphere.
—Jason Neely and Eric Onstad, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
Fishing pollutes and depletes marine ecosystems while pollution from factory farms contaminates waterways.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 21 Feb. 2025
Aside from the methane smell that permeates the area around the landfill and the dust that pollutes our air, the decaying trash is most certainly leaching into the Biscayne Aquifer, the source of our drinking water.
—Jacqueline Railey, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2025
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said Friday evening that evacuation orders for as many as 1,500 people were lifted, but residents were told to stay indoors in case the fire pollutes the air with toxic gases.
—Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2025
The excess nitrogen that is not utilized by growing plants pollutes land, water, and air, and exacerbates climate change.
—Nina Foster, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollutes
Verb
-
Untreated nitrogen often contaminates groundwater and causes algal blooms that damage ecosystems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Leached water from textile waste in landfills contaminates groundwater with harmful chemicals and dyes, which can alter the pH and clarity of surface water.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Listeria infects about 1,600 people in the United States each year, according to the CDC, and kills about 260.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Screwworm is actually a fly that gets its name from how its larva infects a host.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
People.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pollutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollutes. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share