pollution

American  

[puh-loo-shuhn] / pəˈlu ʃən /

noun

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted.

2. the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment.

   air pollution.

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pollution British  

/ pəˈluːʃən /

noun

1. the act of polluting or the state of being polluted

2. harmful or poisonous substances introduced into an environment

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pollution Scientific  

/ pə-lo̅o̅′shən /

1. The contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organisms. Pollution can occur naturally, for example through volcanic eruptions, or as the result of human activities, such as the spilling of oil or disposal of industrial waste.

2. ◆ Light from cities and towns at night that interferes with astronomical observations is known as light pollution. It can also disturb natural rhythms of growth in plants and other organisms.

3. ◆ Continuous noise that is loud enough to be annoying or physically harmful is known as noise pollution.

4. ◆ Heat from hot water that is discharged from a factory into a river or lake, where it can kill or endanger aquatic life, is known as thermal pollution.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-pollution
  noun

Etymology

Origin of pollution

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English pollucioun, from Old French, from Late Latin pollūtiōn-, stem of pollūtiō “defilement”; equivalent to pollute + -ion

Explanation

Pollution is unwanted, harmful stuff contaminating an environment. The race to develop clean energy is motivated by high levels of pollution that people fear are permanently damaging the earth's environment. When you hear about pollution, you’re most likely hearing about chemical emissions into air or water that come from industrial processing. But pollution isn’t just environmental. Anything we think of as pure can be contaminated by pollution polluted, whether that's a lake or an idea. If your mother finds you reading trashy magazines instead of doing your homework, she might worry about the pollution of your mind.

Example Sentences

A few years back, he co-wrote a book called “Smogtown, the Lung-Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Cirino, now the communications manager for the Plastic Pollution Coalition, an environmental nonprofit, has more company now than when she began building her home during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Pollution from U.S. power plants rose last year, a rare uptick in an otherwise long-term downward trend, partly because of more coal being burned to generate electricity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Pollution from the traffic, factories, and construction is all severe; the benefits of all of these things are also extraordinary in a country that was ravaged by war just a few decades ago.

From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026

Pollution itself can affect the utility of water as well as people's enjoyment of it in a stream.

From The Nation's River A report on the Potomac from the U.S. Department of the Interior by United States. Dept. of the Interior.

Related Words

• abuse
• corruption
• deterioration
• infection