Synonyms of pollution

pollution

noun

1

as in contamination

the action or process of making the environment dirty or harmful

The company designed devices to reduce the pollution of the world's oceans.

Related Words

• contamination
• pollutant
• contaminant
• adulteration
• defilement
• uncleanness
• toxin
• uncleanliness
• poison
• dirtiness
• impurity
• soilage
• foulness
• filthiness
• adulterant

2

as in corruption

something that makes (someone) less pure, honest, or moral

They refused to let their children play violent video games, believing that they caused pollution in a developing mind.

Related Words

• corruption
• contamination
• violation
• cursing
• insult
• swearing
• profanity
• sin
• debasement
• affront
• trespass
• desecration
• blasphemy
• sacrilege
• impiety
• defilement
• irreverence
• profanation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pollution

That's the annual cost of wildfires in the United States each year, according to the Joint Economic Committee, including direct and indirect deaths and injuries, health impacts from wildfire smoke, income loss, watershed pollution and other factors. — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

But forecasters said that more smoke could travel back into the area later on Friday, worsening the pollution on Saturday—though not as bad as the air quality was on Thursday—before finally clearing up on Sunday. — Chantelle Lee, Time, 17 July 2026

Nigeria unveiled a $500 million fund to invest in agriculture in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, where farmlands and waterways have suffered from decades of environmental pollution. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 17 July 2026

Residents in the Washington DC area woke up to hazy skies and a Code Purple air quality rating, meaning the air pollution is considered very unhealthy and could pose health risks to everyone, not just sensitive groups. — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 17 July 2026