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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pollution
However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.
—
Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Actions the report calls for include rapidly reducing planet-heating pollution and scaling up carbon removal from the atmosphere.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
For example, a full reversal of coral bleaching may no longer be possible, but reducing emissions and pollution can allow reefs that still support life to survive.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
Florida’s wild oyster reefs have been devastated by overharvesting, pollution, and climate change, but a small company is working to revive them in a new way.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Actions the report calls for include rapidly reducing planet-heating pollution and scaling up carbon removal from the atmosphere.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
For example, a full reversal of coral bleaching may no longer be possible, but reducing emissions and pollution can allow reefs that still support life to survive.
—Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025
Florida’s wild oyster reefs have been devastated by overharvesting, pollution, and climate change, but a small company is working to revive them in a new way.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pollution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pollution
Noun
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Once opened, air exposure and cross-contamination from utensils can introduce moisture and bacteria, shortening their shelf life.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now identified 16 manufacturers impacted by potential contamination after product testing between state programs and FDA confirmation.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Decades of mismanagement, underinvestment and corruption have strained the power grid of Iraq, which is OPEC's second-largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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Madagascar has seen weeks of protests, initially spurred by shortages of water and power but now encompassing deeper unhappiness over corruption, inflation, and high unemployment.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Once captured, the pollutants are converted through a natural chemical reaction into stable byproducts—CO2 into carbonates such as calcium carbonate (CaCOz) and NOx into small quantities of harmless nitrates.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Oct. 2025
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The agency recently announced a plan to ease regulations on climate pollutants known as hydrofluorocarbons.—
Sharon Lerner,
ProPublica,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pollution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pollution. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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