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.
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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.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pollution
However, that doesn’t mean the PVA has disappeared, says Sherri Mason, a chemist and plastics pollution researcher at Gannon University.
—
Matt Fuchs, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Tuesday.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Other homeowners find that the time- and labor-saving benefits of leaf blowers outweigh the noise and air pollution.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025
Do your part to stop pollution by bringing this toxic trash to the library.
—Sarah Z. Sleeper, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Matt Fuchs, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone air pollution in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Tuesday.
—Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
Other homeowners find that the time- and labor-saving benefits of leaf blowers outweigh the noise and air pollution.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025
Do your part to stop pollution by bringing this toxic trash to the library.
—Sarah Z. Sleeper, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollution
Noun
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Use separate cutting boards and containers to avoid cross-contamination between raw meats and fruits and vegetables.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Ready-to-eat food subject to contamination by raw animal product.—
Gege Reed,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In 2019, the 37-year-old Bukele ran for president as a populist outsider promising to defeat crime and corruption in a nation with one of the world’s worst homicide rates and a history of former presidents being charged with crimes.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Milei has had more success taming Argentina’s hyperinflation than first expected, but has been dealing with a brewing currency crisis and several corruption scandals.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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When air is stagnant, pollutants don't get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
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Colorado regulators are working on a new permitting system for five toxic air pollutants that will cost millions of dollars to implement — a plan that will need legislative approval during a tight budget year.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollution. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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