Synonyms for pollute
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Desecrate — to corrupt or profane
desecrate, violate, tarnish, corrupt, sully, debase, infect, profane, debauch, injure, pervert, lead astray, warp, dash, befoul, envenom, degrade, deface, malign, impair, subvert, seduce
2. Contaminate — to make something or somewhere less suitable for some activity, especially by the introduction of some…
contaminate, soil, spoil, ruin, stain, mess up, mar, blight, deprave, blot, mishandle, smear, botch
3. Ravish — to violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour
misuse, dishonor US, dishonour UK, ravish dated, ravage slang, abuse dated, outrage dated, oppress dated
4. Taint — to make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product
Other
Definitions
- v. 1
To make something harmful, especially by the addition of some unwanted product.
The factory polluted the river when it cleaned its tanks.
- v. 2
To make something or somewhere less suitable for some activity, especially by the introduction of some unnatural factor.
The lights from the stadium polluted the night sky, and we couldn't see the stars.
- v. 3
To corrupt or profane
- v. 4
To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonour.
Forms
- Past participle
- polluted
e.g. polluted → desecrated, violated, tarnished, corrupted…
Choose the right word
Pollute is used chiefly of liquids; as, water polluted with sewage. Pollute has also a reference to sacrilege; as, to pollute a sanctuary, an altar, or an ordinance.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- violate These factories violate multiple health regulations.
- sully I wouldn't want to sully your good name.
- tarnish Sami was trying to tarnish Layla's reputation.
- desecrate Sami went to great lengths to desecrate Layla's body.
- ruin The gradual ruin of our country has to be stopped.
- contaminate Cars with heat engines contaminate a lot.
By length
- 3 letters
- mar1
- 4 letters
- soil1, ruin2, dash1, foul1, warp1, blot1
- 5 letters
- abuse2, spoil1, stain1, muddy2, smear1, sully2, taint1, botch1
- 6 letters
- poison2, misuse2, infect2, injure2, seduce2, blight1, impair2, malign2, ravage2, deface2, ravish, debase2, befoul
- 7 letters
- corrupt2, violate3, outrage2, pervert2, degrade2, profane2, subvert2, tarnish2, oppress2, debauch, deprave2, envenom
- 8 letters
- dishonor3
- 9 letters
- dishonour, desecrate3, mishandle3
- 11 letters
- contaminate4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ruin2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- polluer
- Italiano
- inquinare
- Español
- contaminar
- Deutsch
- verschmutzen